El Bimbo: Incarcerated Soul
by sky75rk
Summary: [19th: Despite Of.NaruSasu.NejiNaru.GaaSasu.Try reading after the 1st Ch.]It is in losing everything that you will find every reason to be happy. Sasuke finds home is with the person he almost killed, who lived and is now smiling at him. [AU ending up]
1. First Channel: Risks

A/N: I have stopped writing for almost 2 years now, but as I read other people's stories, something inside me told me to resume again. This may not exactly be the best you've read so far, and I don't really know how to express the emotions in this one, but I hope you'll receive this warmly.

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk**

Disclaimers: Naruto series and the song included are copyrighted and owned by their respective makers and creators, composer and lyricist.

* * *

**First Channel: Risks **

During those times when you were near, your breathing slow and sure, I often think about many things that begins to bombard my mind, almost endless curiosity of myself, wanting to ask you these irritating questions. However, the courage I felt when I wanted to ask rapidly disappears as soon as it came.

During those times when we fight, I wanted to tell you how much I hated you. I hate you for making me feel this way, when at one point you will make me think you're saying "I care for you," when you never do. As if in a snap of a finger, you will forget something ever happened. I hated it when you would accidentally look and meet my eyes, burning a hole in the wall I've created all these years. And you, with your blank look, would seemingly look as if you've smiled, making me swallow hard and hold breath, hoping that there is something beyond of what we are right now, dropping the deceptive façade we have around us and become something we never imagined to happen in a million centuries.

During those times when I see you, I hated it. Hated it that the more I see you, I'm getting in so deep that I don't know if I'll drown in despair in facing actuality, it's sharp thorns piercing me, causing my soul to bleed profusely, creating a hole and making me feel that the elixir of my life is wearing thin.

And when we talk obligingly, you make me stutter words out of my mouth, stopping any coherent thought from entering my mind; only the image of you and me in a place where no one would recognize us. A place to tell you how I really felt. And yet, in this time and space, in this dimension, there is nothing of that selfish fantasy. Nothing sort of that illusion would become reality. Only a mirage that simply disappears when you're in reach.

That is why at this moment, I have to hold this chance. It might be unfair to her, and I am guilty of using her special day for my own reasons. But chances are supposedly grabbed and held onto before it slips off. But I'm afraid, scared that you'll turn away and leave me. Afraid that you'll just see right through me and ignore me forever.

Maybe I'm not what I think I am. Maybe the arrogance I have is just a stupid mask used to fool people. I've become so good at it that it also had me fooled into thinking that I no longer fear anything. Maybe it's the cruel fate. Or maybe it's just me after all.

But I know I have to let go of my doubts and fears, and maybe tomorrow, I will hold you in my arms, tender and careful, pushing strands of your hair cascading over your face and it won't be just a dream or a mirage that will suddenly vanquish in the fabric of time.

Maybe tomorrow, I can finally surpass my fear to hold back on myself and build enough confidence to finally fight for what I may have. And when I acknowledge this unknown courage buried deep, it will be unlocked and it will flood that gates of my unconsciousness with only one thing to do.

Maybe tomorrow you will be mine and it will be the time when I would say that I am happy with my life and I could die content.

Maybe tomorrow you will love me back and we will settle out our differences.

And it won't be just an empty fantasy.

* * *

3 hours have passed and there was still no sign of the blonde that everyone was anticipating. Hinata had invited and asked if Naruto could possibly sing on her birthday. And as the other Rookie Nine tried to stop her from doing it, Naruto happily obliged. Of course, they couldn't do anything about it now, knowing that Hinata has mustered up gallons of courage just to pull that off. Only Naruto doesn't know what the dark-haired kunoichi feels about him. Sakura sometimes wonder how he could be dense about those things.

"I also haven't seen Naruto the whole day yesterday," Sakura commented.

"Me neither," Ino agreed.

"Maybe he just chickened out haha," Kiba commented. Others beside him were snickering telling that Naruto must've not prepared anything and was afraid that he'll just embarrass himself. Hinata was getting depressed by every passing moment, Neji just sitting at one corner while Sasuke scowling for even coming and believing the blonde idiot would actually perform. Though he, himself, doesn't know why he came. Whether it was for Hinata or simply because Naruto would do something he never did before.

Until someone sat on the stool and the lights on the stage were turned on. Everybody glanced at the moving figure which was Naruto, placing an old guitar on his lap and while the fingers on his right hand felt the string underneath.

"Oi Naruto! Where have you--"

A hand struck a string and cut Sakura off.

A voice emerged from previously sealed lips. **_"Our little conversations,"_ **A smooth, melodious tone was heard from the stage, **_"I'll turn them into little sweet sensations,"_ **

Naryto closed his eyes, feeling the music he was creating_. **"And they're only getting sweeter every time," **_

Another note.

"**_Our friendly get together, I'll turn them into visions of forever," _**

Sakura sat down, totally holed on the singing boy, never had it occurred to her that the blonde-youth could sing like that. Everybody else was getting into their most comfortable positions, without even knowing.

"**_If I just believed this foolish heart of mine,"_** the blonde opened his eyes and stared directly at Hinata's place.

Hinata blushed.

"_**I can't pretend, that I'm just a friend," **_

Hinata stared back and…

"_**Cause I'm thinking maybe we were meant to be," **_

…reality struck.

"_**I think I'm fallin', fallin', in love with you…" **_

A tear fell on one pale cheek.

"_**And I don't, I don't know what to do…" **_

Neji whimpered and glanced at his cousin who was suppressing a cry, a hand clamped to her mouth.

"**_I'm afraid you'll turn away, but I'll say it anyway, I think I'm falling… for you,"_**

_It's not me…_

"_**Whenever we're together, I'm wishing that good-byes would turn to never," **_

_It's not me…_

"_**Cause with you is where I want to be," **_

_It's not me…_

"_**Whenever I'm beside you, all I really want to do is hold you,"**_

Starting to break down, Hinata turned to her heels and left…

"_**No one else but you, has meant this much to me," **_

…brushing off a wide-eyed Sasuke standing behind her.

"_**I can't pretend, that I'm just as friend," **_

To Hinata, no one could probably compare the pain that it brought, especially when Naruto's stare just went through her like she was invisible.

"_**Cause I'm thinking maybe we were meant to be,"**_

Sasuke was aware what of what the blue-eyed youth was trying to send him.

He was falling…

"_**I think I'm fallin', fallin' in love with you," **_

…for him.

"_**And I don't, I don't know what to do," **_

Naruto closed his eyes again, knowing he made his point.

"_**I'm afraid you'll turn away, but I'll say it anyway," **_

A vague smile, whispering 'dobe'.

"**_I think I'm falling for you…"_ **Naruto opened his eyes, blue hoping to crash into black, to no avail.

"**_Falling… for you,"_ **the song ends as blue eyes disappear under the shadows of his Konoha emblem, in his mind burned the picture of the dark-haired shinobi…

…walking away…

Tears fell gently.

**-Continued- **


	2. Second Channel: Day After

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: Sky75rk **

A/N: okay, the first part seems a bit complicated, basically, Naruto had to sing a song on Hinata's birthday, as requested by the female Hyuuga. So, he sang, with everyone listening, but his song was specifically dedicated to a certain dark-haired shinobi whom you all know too well. But he walked away…

/sigh/ do you want me to edit the first chapter?

Oh yeah, the title might not seem to have a connection with the story, but believe me, it has a connection. Let me explain once and for all to those who do not know. There's this song in the Philippines called _"Ang Huling El Bimbo" _the last part goes something like this: _lumipas and ilang taon, at hindi na tayo nagkita, balita ko'y may anak ka na, ngunit walang asawa. Tagahugas ka raw, ng pinggan sa may Ermita, at isang gabi, nasagasaan sa isang madilim na eskinita…lahat ng pangarap ko'y bigla na lang natunaw. Sa panaginip nalang pala kita maisasayaw. Magkahawak and ating kamay at walang kamalay-malay na tinuruan mo ang puso ko na umibig ng tunay…_(roughly translated: after a few years, we did not see each other. I heard you were just washing dishes in Ermita and one night you were you were run over in one dark alley. All my dreams suddenly vanished, I guess I will only get to dance with you in my dreams. We were holding hands and without any knowledge you taught my heart how to truly love…) so, I'm sorry for the lame translation and for those who knows the song, just bear with me… ) And okay, so maybe the song would have fitted better if it was Sasuke, but I know you'll all get it since all of you people are really smart!

Whew! What a long author's notes!

* * *

**Second Channel: Day After**

Sunlight filtered through the blinds, spilling onto the sleeping figure of the blonde youth. He tried to open two blue eyes, but severely failed when the light stung his eyes to discomfort, accompanied by the severe migraine that pierced in his head. _Oh yeah, that's right. Yesterday was Hinata's birthday._

/_yesterday was when I was rejected/ _

He glanced around the room, recalling that after his number, he immediately excused himself to go home, unable to greet the female Hyuuga a happy birthday. _I don't think she'd appreciate it though._ Naruto thought, the image of her crying because of him still in his mind. He was sorry because he had used her special day to not purposely hurt her, but he was not guilty, simply because he didn't reciprocate her feelings and he did not do any means to betray her.

Yet, his cruel course of action soon came back to him, when the one he dedicated his song to walked away.

_Maybe I deserved it. _A wistful smile donned on his usually bright face. _It was the inevitable after all. _

_/I didn't stand a chance/ _

He sat from his bed only to fall back again. His arms were spread against the immaculate black sheets and his legs were dangling at the edge of the bed. It was not like him to have black sheets, but recently he had taken a liking to the dark color—like he was obsessed with it or something. Although he figured that it had nothing to do with _him. _His liking with the color was on a different wavelength than his liking with the raven haired ninja. He couldn't put it into words. It was like he felt… at peace at the confined space the color presented. He had taken it in his mentality that black is not the absence of color. White is, which is why he sometimes thought that Neji was really vacant. Not unpleasant, just uncomprehending.

As he once again looked around his surroundings he noticed that his curtains replaced the previous blue to black. Even his side table was painted black and his closet.

Naruto smiled inwardly. _It seems dark and gloomy in here but I don't feel that way. _He closed his eyes, opened it and stared blankly at the now black ceiling which he also painted. He tried to erase the memory of yesterday or lock it in another realm where he wouldn't encounter it any longer.

Feeling the time wasting away, he got up, went to the bathroom and showered. It was no use spending the day slaving himself to the unavoidable.

Naruto sighed and made a resolution. _It's time to become my cheerful self once more. _

/_It's time to collect the pieces of broken glass once more/

* * *

_

Sasuke's sweat dribbled down his chin as the third tree crumbled at the force of his blow. The middle of its trunk was completely shattered into many fragments of twisted images of toothpicks. He sat down at the soft grass, mildly inhaling the scent of earth and the wind in it. After a few minutes, he stood up and continued his training with renewed vigor, imagining his opponents lunging towards him through all sides. He blocked, attacked, and sped his way through the labyrinth the forest was creating. Yet, he wasn't fooled by the illusion. He knew the Konoha forest by heart.

He turned around as his 'imaginary' opponent came from behind. Sasuke brought out a kunai and threw it, aiming at the 'ninja's' heart. As the kunai pushed forward he settled to the ground. His eyes widened.

Naruto.

He shook his head. Why the hell did he imagine that he was sparring with the blonde idiot? It is true that his sparring partner is Naruto, and together, they improved their skills at a faster pace. But he wasn't with Sasuke at the moment. And he wasn't infighting with him. He wouldn't, couldn't manage the will to ask him to.

He knew it was idiocy. Being taken aback by what happened yesterday. At first, he convinced himself that it wasn't him Naruto was staring at, as he saw Hinata in front of him. But as the music progressed and as the female Hyuuga went away crying, his suspicions were confirmed.

Nevertheless, he couldn't understand why Naruto would feel _that_ way towards him. First, Naruto once considered him as his rival. He was his rival for the pink-haired kunoichi and to be the strongest ninja in Konoha. Second, they were both _guys_. That alone could trigger his conviction that it was never meant to be.

But when he remembered walking away, he also remembered that he hadn't been disgusted by what the blonde did. He hadn't been doing anything to state that he should back-off of him. And he hadn't been thinking of ways to stop him from making other moves.

What he told himself was that he was not interested.

Retrieving his kunai that was ledged on another tree trunk, he saw someone walking to the training grounds.

And he knew that this time, it wasn't an illusion.

It really was _him. _

Naruto was walking with his usual foxy grin on his face, his hands folded above his head, using it to as a leaning post. He didn't seem to notice Sasuke though. So Sasuke contemplated on disappearing before he was spotted.

While he was preparing to leave, a thought crossed on his mind. _What the hell am I doing? Why am I avoiding him? _At that, he stopped, letting the smiling boy see him.

And Naruto did.

But he was still smiling.

_Strange, why isn't he any different?_ Sasuke was on the verge of confusion. If it was him in his position, he would have definitely used all means to evade him. _Why? _

Naruto was closing in on him, still smiling. When he was within arm's reach from the sharingan wielder, he talked.

"Ohayo, Sasuke!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically, unfolding his arms and waved at Sasuke. He glanced around and saw all the trees that were either destroyed or damaged beyond repair. "Geez Sasuke! Are you trying to destroy the forest or something?" he said, almost shouting, scowling. "You really are one cruel, selfish bastard,"

Naruto walked past him suddenly, taking a different trail. "Think about your actions before doing them, Sasuke-teme," He was grinning again, his unwavering smile pasted. Sasuke was speechless, he can't find the correct words. And he was feeling… what exactly was he feeling?

"I got to go now, see yah!" then he was gone.

Sasuke clenched his fists. _Why is he so indifferent? Did he already forget about what he confessed to me last night? _He could feel anger rushing all the way in his veins. The sensation was smoldering his senses just like how alcohol has this effect on its drinker, although he knew he was sane.

But why was he so angry? He was not interested, wasn't he?

_/there is denial when there is desire/ _

At the back of his mind, he wanted Naruto to stutter; he wanted him to act differently. He wanted to see…

What exactly did he want to see? Is it the look of sadness or the pain of rejection? If that is what he wanted, then he really is one cruel bastard.

_Maybe…_Maybe what he wanted to see the assertion that what Naruto said was real.

Sasuke frowned, and then walked away.

Again.

* * *

Even before he was in the distance of sight for the raven haired boy, he already discerned the fact that Sasuke was in the training grounds.

Naruto grinned when he noticed Sasuke. _Act normal. _He told himself. He was aware that seeing him would unsettle the paler boy.

_/he's just going to avoid me/ _

He also noticed that Sasuke tried to go, but stopped. At this, Naruto became confused, but shrugged it off as he neared him.

"Ohayo, Sasuke!" he greeted. He saw the trees wrecked into chunks and he felt sorry for them. After all, it was the only living thing in this world he sought refuge from that didn't turn him away. "Geez Sasuke! Are you trying to destroy the forest or something? You really are one cruel, selfish bastard,"

_/You were always so cold. Especially to me/ _

There was no reaction in Sasuke's still figure, but it wasn't as if he didn't know it was coming. Naruto walked past the taller boy and added "Think about your actions before doing them, Sasuke-teme,"

_/Can you think of me without hatred in your eyes becoming evident/ _

After several minutes of silence, Naruto inwardly breathe a sigh of defeat. "I got to go now, see yah!" then he went.

As he was passing Sasuke, he felt the pale boy tense. And as he discreetly glanced back at him, he saw Sasuke's knuckles curled into a ball. _He's angry with me. I mean, why wouldn't he? I disgusted him. _

_/everyone loathes me/ _

After a passing moment, he perceived that he was still watching the sharingan wielder and told himself to just go. But he can't, he was way too bonded to him that he can't even look away.

The knuckles of Sasuke relaxed, the watchful eyes of Naruto still watching him. He let out a sigh of relief, thinking that Sasuke has let out his anger.

But he walked away.

It was past the point of no return. It will only be in his dreams wherein he would get to see the normal life he once led.

With Uchiha Sasuke.

_/the only life I once had/ _

**-Continued- **

_/there is denial when there is desire/_ I got this line from one of the fics I read long ago. It was a Yami no Matsuei story, a very good one.it was writtenby **Anonym aka Yen**. So if ever you read this, I just really like this line and it suited the chapter. Of course, it's yours and standard disclaimers apply.


	3. Third Channel: Unexpected Separations

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

A/N: okay, the plot is really blank from the beginning, and so the twist comes here. Hey, I'm sorry if the first two chapters are not that exciting, to say the least. But I've been trying to figure out what should happen next, and so, I've come up with this. This is also the longest chapter I've written in my history of writing. Enjoy!

* * *

**Third Channel: Unexpected Separations**

They had a mission to accomplish that very same day. And Naruto regretted the fact that if something goes wrong, he might be responsible for the screw up of the entire team. The mission was only a reconnaissance and to recover an important document, nothing really important. But the uneasiness between him and Sasuke would affect them.

He could feel it; the intense desire of the paler boy to know why he was acting the same. It was as if the words that flowed right out of his mouth were simply words without meaning, without thought. And with Sakura not knowing anything, oblivious to the awkward emotions between her two teammates… Naruto preferred to let it at that. Not let her know a thing so she wouldn't be caught up in the middle of the chaos.

He glanced up, looking ahead at his two teammates. A pink-haired kunoichi clinging to an arm of the dark-haired shinobi. Sakura was telling him something, noticing her moving lips as the taller boy stared blankly ahead, before looking at the girl beside him and nodding. It seemed that Sasuke was interested with what the kunoichi was saying.

Naruto grinned. Yes, he was jealous, but he knew he had nothing to be jealous about, since Sasuke was never his anyway. And being familiar with Sakura liking the taller boy, he didn't really mind. No, he shouldn't really mind. Whoever Sasuke chooses is not his business any longer. He just wished that they would still continue to be best friends even through all this.

At that moment, Sakura decided to turn around and check the blonde youth. "What are you doing way back there Naruto?" she raised her voice slightly so Naruto could hear her clearly. Naruto jogged to cope up with their pace, "Sorry, I saw a colorful bird and got side-tracked, haha" he said, smacking himself in his head for the lame excuse he came up with.

Nonetheless, the girl accepted it with ease. "You should know better, Naruto. What if you got lost?" Sakura demanded and Naruto just shrugged it off with a smile, eyes darting to the paler boy beside her, and their eyes meet. Naruto could see an unusual emotion flicker in his black eyes and after a second it was wiped blank, like rain pouring over the wasted lands, cleansing it until traces of the soiled earth was washed away.

Naruto just grinned as Sasuke looked away, in his mind kept playing the picture of what he wanted it to be, but will never happen.

Just him and Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke glanced away as the bright boy grinned at him. _Why is he like that? Why does he act like everything's the same? _

Friendship. Bonds. It was what Naruto didn't want to be broken between them. It was what he didn't want to lose. _Does he want us to continue being the best friends we used to? _Sasuke never want to acknowledge before that Naruto was the closest thing he has for a best friend. But as time passed they really did become the closest, although it didn't really show. _Is that still possible? _With the knowledge that the blonde liked—love even—him, he couldn't think otherwise.

They have been traveling for almost twelve hours, the forest they were going in to becoming deeper and deeper. Almost blinding them, but it was fine. They were all capable jounins.

A surge of chakra and they all paused. They were already only five minutes away from the hide-out of the thieves that stole the document they were recovering, and they were aware that people would be guarding the area.

A twig snapped and the three put their guard up. Suddenly dozens of paid ninjas and amateur assassins were walking towards them.

"Shit, it was a trap," Sasuke muttered under his breath as he felt Sakura detaching herself from his arm and got ready for battle. Naruto was already holding his kunai at one hand and his shuriken at his left.

A moment of silence. A battle cry heard.

They all engaged in battle.

Sasuke side-stepped as a man with an over-sized stick came charging through. The man lost balance and recovered, but not until realizing that the dark-haired jounin already cut up his weapon into pieces. He ran.

Then dozens came at the same time. Sasuke activated his sharingan and fought.

Naruto was doing the same as was Sakura. Throwing a few punches and kicks, he took out several guys, holding his strength before he killed anybody. He took a short glance at Sakura to make sure she was fine. Then shaking himself of his worry, returning his mind at the battle, thinking that they were all strong and he should trust his friends.

He felt a presence coming towards him and he evaded the attack, threw three shurikens and pinned the attacker at a nearby tree. Seeing as they were outnumbered, Naruto did a couple of hand seals and used his Kage bunshin no jutsu. Ten more Naruto's emerged and charged the enemies. After he knocked a few men down, he turned to look at Sasuke who was also fighting off several men.

"Shit," he hissed, as a knife cut his upper arm. It was deep. He cursed himself for spacing away from the battle. _This is all wrong. I know that I shouldn't worry. But I can't help it… _as his mind went back to reality, he saw that only two bunshins were left and grinned despite of the loss. _It seems that they're not really all brawns. _He did the similar hand seals, but before he can complete, he felt a kunai wedge deep into his body.

Dangerously near his heart.

Naruto was shocked. He wasn't careful enough! Apparently, someone was hiding behind the camouflage of trees, and waited for a chance to take them down. Naruto breathe calmly, taking out the kunai from his body and locating the culprit who did this to him. He was losing blood fast and although the Kyuubi inside him was desperately trying to heal him, it wasn't enough. Naruto's eyes turned dangerously dark, as he charged towards the now terrified missing-nin. He knew he will be going too far with this, but he can't care any longer. He gathered his remaining chakra in his palms and threw a rasengan.

The missing-nin lay dead, covered in blood.

When Naruto came to, he grasp what he had done, he sighed. He didn't want to kill anybody. He has to tell the Hokage about this and explaining it will be rough.

He returned to where Sasuke and Sakura were and was relieved that they defeated their attackers. A sigh escaped his lips as his knees buckled under him and he held his chest. He was still bleeding. Damn.

Sasuke was alarmed. When he turned to his side, he saw the blonde falling to the ground.

"Naruto!" he immediately went to Naruto's side with Sakura behind him. He knelt beside him.

"Oh my god," he heard Sakura gasp. "You're bleeding!" she ran back to her things and fished out a roll of bandage.

The pale boy shakily removed his hand from Naruto's shirt and looked. _Blood, but no, that couldn't be, what… what happened? _He was dumbstruck. He didn't know what to do!

"Lay him down Sasuke, we have to stop the bleeding," Sakura was also frantic, but she kept herself calm. Sasuke lay Naruto down on the ground and the kunoichi opened up the blonde's shirt.

"Shit," she cursed. "The bleeding won't stop! We have to take him back to Tsunade-sama as soon as possible or he won't make it!" After tying the bandage, she motioned Sasuke to carry Naruto. But Sasuke can't move.

"SASUKE!" she shouted and the raven-haired boy awoke. "WE HAVE TO GO! NOW!"

Sasuke gathered the almost lifeless body into his arms and jumped to the nearest branch and they went back, shuddering as the blue-eyed boy felt cold in his warm body. _Don't die on me. Don't leave me alone._

He felt a finger move and he looked down, still not decreasing his speed. He would've just teleported, but they were way too far from the village. Naruto's eyelids opened slightly.

"Sa—sasu—ke," the blonde choked out. He was still bleeding.

"What?" Sasuke whispered. "You shouldn't try to talk. Try to conserve your energy," he ordered the limp boy.

"Are… are you all right?" Naruto still continued to speak, not hearing what the taller boy had ordered him.

Sasuke's eyes widened. _He's received a fatal wound and… he's… still worried about…me? _Softening his gaze he replied, "Yes,"

Naruto closed his eyes, "That's… good,"

"Dobe, stop worrying about me, you should worry more about yourself. Look at the mess you made on yourself,"

Naruto chuckled hoarsely then coughed out blood, distressing the quiet boy. "I just… I just want you…" another cough.

"Stop talking,"

But Naruto paid no heed. "I just want you… to be safe," then he grinned, wincing slightly as he felt the wound on his chest.

Sasuke didn't know what to say. Then his mind returned to the last night when Naruto confessed to him and then this morning, when he acted like nothing happened. He was wrong. He thought that Naruto was only playing a prank on him. That what he sang to him last night was not true. But it was. And he understood.

Sasuke sped up, determined to make it back to Konoha fast. He was gaining on the kunoichi who went ahead. She was supposed to be the one to tell the Hokage about the situation.

"Sakura! I'll go straight to the hospital, you go and tell Tsunade-sama," Sakura just nodded, while they entered a familiar territory. They were very near to the gates and when they felt that they can use a transportation jutsu, they did. Sasuke hurrying to the hospital, while Sakura, to the tower.

* * *

It was a quiet morning for the Hokage, knowing that the loud-mouthed brat was away on a mission. The day passed and it became strangely quiet. A chill went up Tsunade's spine. _Something's not right. _

She went silent for a few minutes, resuming to her daily duties of separating the missions within their specific ranks when she heard people shouting outside the doors.

"Wait! You can't go in there without permission!" a man shouted, obviously trying to hold back a person from coming in.

"But it's an emergency!" a frantic girl voiced out. A voice she knew well.

Sakura.

Tsunade instantly ran to the door, her heart drumming to her chest. _Something's definitely not right. _

"Let her go," she ordered the ANBU guards stationed at her door, and the men let the girl go.

It is Sakura.

Sakura ran to the Hokage and pulled her sleeve. "Come on, we've got to hurry Naruto--"

"What happened to Naruto?" she demanded, a nauseating feeling coming up her throat. "Where is he?" she added. _No, this can't be happening. _

A grief-stricken face was what answered her, "At the hospital, and his bleeding won't stop!" A tear slid down Sakura's face as she dashed towards the hospital building, leaving with the Hokage.

* * *

Sasuke was angry. No, he was furious. He couldn't accept the way these doctors and nurses were ignoring Naruto's condition. It was unjust. Definitely unjust. And he won't stand for it.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? CAN'T YOU SEE THAT AN INJURED PERSON NEEDS YOUR HELP?" he shouted at them, and they all flinched, but none of them moved. Behind him, only Shizune was the one helping him, trying to stop the bleeding.

"It's no use," she voiced out. "The Kyuubi struggles to regenerate Naruto's body but the wound just keeps on opening. We need more hands to keep him alive!"

Sasuke glared at the doctors and gave up. It was no use.

"Get out of the way!" someone spoke up. He saw the Hokage and Sakura running towards them.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"In there," Sasuke pointed and Tsunade went inside, closing the door behind her.

Everything was still and silent as the clock went on ticking and time passed. Kakashi arrived moments after hearing the news, together with Iruka. Minutes turned into hours and Tsunade emerged from the room, an expression of relief all over her face.

Sasuke and the others wanted to ask how well Naruto is, but they weren't able to. From time to time, they would notice her go inside the room and check on his condition and they were all wondering why she wouldn't let them in.

Hours turned to days and the relief that Tsunade had on her face before was wiped away and they were all filled with dread. She still didn't want anyone going inside the room.

But Sasuke was fed up.

"Why won't you let us in?" he demanded, his fists tightly clenched as he strived to hold himself down. Sakura didn't make any move to stop the boy since she also wanted to know the reason. Tsunade looked at the Uchiha and the rest who were visiting.

_Kiba, Shikamaru, Hinata, Sasuke, Neji, Sakura, Iruka, Kakashi, Chouji, Ino, Tenten… Shino even. Naruto may not realize it, but there are many people caring for him. _She smiled despite the situation given, and then returned to her stern look. "Naruto's fine," she said simply.

Sasuke punched the wall near him and made a hole. "Then why are you keeping us out here?"

"He's right Tsunade-sama," Shikamaru agreed. "Shouldn't we be allowed to see him since he's all right?"

Tsunade shook her head. "You can't. If his wound gets infected, there will be a complication," she turned to leave them. "I know you all understand,"

Sasuke sat down. "Damn,"

The rest of their faces fell.

* * *

A week already passed and Naruto was only beginning to wake up. The first thing he noticed was the white all around him. _I'm alive. That's… good. _

He then turned to his side and saw someone checking the content of his IV fluid. "Tsunade-baachan?"

Tsunade looked at him with a warm gaze. "Welcome back Naruto," she greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Naruto gave her a grin. "Groggy as hell,"

"Good. What were you thinking getting wounded like that?" she was angry as she inquired but with a tone of worry in her voice. But she can't help scolding the boy for his carelessness.

Naruto tried to sit up, feeling his bones aching to return to training. "Sorry," he dismissed at the same time, failing to sit up. "Won't happen again. Promise!" he assured her.

A sigh. "I know it won't. Since I'm taking you out from doing missions from now on,"

"WHAT? WHY? YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME BAACHAN!" Naruto wailed then stopped, cringing as the wound on his chest ached.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but you can't fight again,"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"JUST FUCKING TELL ME!" Naruto was already shouting and he knew it, but he didn't care. His missions were his life, his only purpose now that Sasuke was not there.

"DON'T--," Tsunade started to shout back, then unruffled herself. "—use that tone with me. I didn't want to, but I had no choice,"

"What are you talking about?" Naruto whispered, trying to find a reason for this.

"Fine," Tsunade submitted to Naruto's will. _After all, he's got the right to know. _"You received a fatal heart wound. I already took care of the rest and the wound is all cleaned up but…" Tsunade trailed off. It was going to be hard to break the news to him.

"But… what?"

"But… a blood clot got stuck and blocked half of the passage of your right ventricle, and blood isn't pumping the way it usually does,"

"So?"

"So if you move vigorously for long hours and got stressed, I'm afraid that the blood clot left will block the rest of the artery and you will be paralyzed or worse, dead since the right ventricle is the one responsible pumping blood into your lungs,"

The sun hid behind the clouds as the Hokage desperately tried to break the news to him slowly. Shadows of unexpected emotions flashed through like headlights of a car illuminating the road for a second before it is turned off again. His blue eyes previously vibrant changed to murky depths of navy blue as his mind registered the catastrophe that has befallen upon him.

A quiet that stayed for only a few instances seemed like eternity and Tsunade can't do anything to comfort the young boy.

"How long will I still be able to… fight?"

Tsunade did not hesitate and at that, she was bothered by her stern personality. "Only for 30 minutes,"

_No. _Naruto countered, telling himself that this isn't happening. _This can't happen to me. _

"Isn't there… a way to fix… me?" _I've already got everybody hating me because of this demon inside of me and now, I can't even do the thing that I want? Why is this happening to me? _

"There is," Tsunade finally answered after a few minutes of silence. "But…."

Deafening stillness.

"We can perform an operation that would remove the obstruction but it costs a lot,"

"How… much?"

"About half a million, max,"

Naruto fell silent. There was no way he can raise that much money in one day. And if he was taken out of his job as a jounin, he won't be able to raise any money at all. "Is there any possible way I won't be taken out of my job and still raise money to afford the operation before…?"

Another sigh. Tsunade knew that this question is coming up and as much as she wouldn't want him to do this, he knew he needed it. "You can't do any missions that would take too much time and energy. The missions that you can do now are only the assassination missions. No long fights and one of the highest paying jobs,"

Naruto held his head low. He didn't like to kill people. A reason why he only went to retrieving and reconnaissance assignments. But he was left no other options.

Tsunade sat down beside Naruto and hugged him. "I know you don't want it, but you don't want to resign from being a ninja. It's either you quit or raise the money. I wouldn't want you to do it either, but I wouldn't want to take away what means to you most,"

"I'll… do it," the blonde youth finally answered. "Did you… tell anyone else?" he queried, his voice low and deceptively composed.

Tsunade shook her head. "No, not yet," she rose to her feet to get ready to exit the room, feeling his visitors arriving.

"Don't tell them okay?" Naruto said, his lips grinning but his eyes… dead.

Tsunade conceded. "Okay," then she walked towards the door. But she suddenly stopped when she heard Naruto call her name again.

"Since I'm doing a different assignment, I would like to separate from the team,"

Tsunade gave him a pensive smile. "I was going to do that, but I won't let you go alone. Is Neji all right with you?"

Naruto nodded. _As long as it's not _him, _then it's all right. I don't want him to worry about me.and I don't want him to… pity me…_

"Good. Take care of yourself now okay? No hard training until the wound fully heals. You know what I mean,"

Naruto nodded again and then smiled at the retreating Hokage. _Can't fight until the operation. The world is conspiring against me…_

Then he lapsed back to the world of the unconscious.

* * *

As Tsunade exited his room, she felt her heart tighten. _I wish you wouldn't smile like that, Naruto. Tears do not signify that you're weak after all. _She glanced around and saw Sasuke there with Neji. Apparently, it wasn't just Sasuke who was worried sick about the wounded boy.

The Hokage smiled as she told the two that Naruto can accept visitors now. Yet, before she left, she turned her head around and stared at the Hyuuga.

"Neji," she called the long-haired jounin.

Neji stepped forward as the gaze of the Uchiha remained on her skin. "Naruto will now become your partner for your upcoming missions,"

Neji was taken aback, so was Sasuke. But he knew better than to judge the Hokage's decision. "Fine," he accepted. He wasn't really angry to be partnered with the blonde youth. He didn't really mind.

He didn't at all.

But Sasuke did. "No," he opposed. "I won't allow it," he glared at the older woman and with his eyes, he told her.

"And why is that?"

"Because I…" There was no particular reason in Sasuke's mind. Though the verity that his best friend will be separated from him… he felt… alone.

"Then deal with it," was what the Hokage said before she left when the black-eyed boy did not answer.

"Damn," Sasuke glared at the Hyuuga, in his mind cursing him for accepting such arrangements. But the Hyuuga just stared back, as if taunting him.

The raven-haired youth just clenched his fists again as the pale-eyed boy walked past him and went inside the blonde's room.

However, before Neji can go in, Sasuke stopped him. "Why did you accept? I know you didn't like having an idiot as a partner," Sasuke's assertion cold and hard, as if threatening Neji to withdraw.

Instead, Neji did not falter. "Why wouldn't you?" he shot back, staring into Sasuke's eyes with the intensity the same as he has.

"Because I…"

Still, before he can come up with a reaction, Neji already went inside.

Uchiha Sasuke was defeated.

And in his defeat, he felt no use but to walk away.

_Because I…_

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: I think I'm making it a habit to make Sasuke walk away after every chapter. I'm so bad…

Review?


	4. Fourth Channel: Turning Away

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

A/N: woah… fourth chapter already yet, readers have been nothing but cold… huhu… I'm getting few responses… does it suck that badly? Grr… anyway, I'm not really fazed. I like how the story is turning out, even if the first chapters are not that good. Especially the first channel… hmp… well, I do appreciate those who take their time to review or just read this, so thanks… you guys are the best!

**bloodofakiller: I'm sorry I wasn't able to reply to your review in the second channel. I did have to make it that sad. Otherwise, how will I be able to use that chapter to progress with the story, right? Didn't you like it? **

**And one more thing, thanks for being a constant reviewer! **

ADC guys…

* * *

**Fourth Channel: Turning Away**

They were standing along the rooftops waiting for their target to come into view. Dressed in all black, they moved along the streets undetected, in their hands they hold the jaws of death, and in their hearts lies no conscience. One look in their eyes and then you can feel the cold, ice running in their veins, you will shiver at the thought, become afraid. Hide underneath the covers. But nothing will save you from their wrath.

The leaves rustled, the view changes, the moon rising, indicating the late hour and they still waited.

"Target spotted," an artic voice emerged, breaking the train of thoughts that bombarded his mind. "I'll go in,"

"No," another voice interrupted, an indefinite one, wavering, but calm. "I'll do it," he volunteered.

"Are you--" the first one tried to ask, but failed, when the second one vanished into the mist.

An unknown figure approached a drunken man who was laughing, stumbling about the street. He was still holding a bottle half-empty of alcohol, when he noticed. "Who are you?" he asked, narrowing his blurry eyes to stabilize his vision. No reply.

"I SAID WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING MY DAMN WAY?" The man now screamed.

The figure clad in black further advanced, a wire in one hand. "Be at peace," he whispered in the man's ear, and then coiled the said wire around the target's neck.

A voiceless cry resounded nowhere but in the figure's mind.

* * *

"Mission accomplished," Neji said as he handed the mission report to the Hokage.

"Excellent. Who did it?" she asked, in her subconscious she wished that it was the more experienced one who finished the job for the both of them.

A blonde head looked up. "I did," he answered and the Hokage's worries started to surface. "Any problem?" Naruto asked, glaring at the woman, afterwards, smiling. "You worry too much Tsunade-baabaa, I'm as efficient as anyone else who is experienced," he said nonchalantly.

The woman did not answer, so Neji supposed they were finished talking. He turned to exit the room, wanting to rest as soon as possible. After all, they had a long journey.

Tsunade eyed the long-haired boy before calling him again. "Wait,"

"Is there anything else?"

Tsunade took a quick glance at Naruto. She knew that the Hyuuga will not like the idea of working again after just finishing a hard mission. But it had to be done as soon as possible, or else… "I haven't briefed you yet for your next mission,"

"Another?" Neji asked. He wasn't expecting an assignment so soon.

"Yes," she replied, motioning him to return to his seat.

Neji obliged.

"What is it this time hag?" Naruto asked, still grinning; although Tsunade knew better.

"Another assassination," she said, placing two scrolls of the same kind in her table. "Here are the descriptions and the names of your target together with their photos,"

Naruto immediately got up and took both the scrolls before handing one to Neji. "I suppose this is to be done ASAP?" the Hyuuga asked, but his voice sounded more like a statement.

Tsunade nodded. "We're short of people at this moment," she said, her short explanation answering the questions in Neji's mind.

* * *

"Have you seen Naruto?" Sasuke asked the pink-haired kunoichi. He only recently learned that Naruto has already been released in the hospital. After the breaking news of the blonde separating from the team, he did not visit the boy again.

"I heard he went to another mission," Sakura answered his question. "I don't know why, but after he came back from the last one, Hokage-sama gave them another one," she added.

_I guess I won't be seeing him for a while. _"Let's go," he told Sakura.

"Okay, I guess we'll be leaving without telling him," she paused, thinking for a moment. "I don't think we need to inform him now. After all, we're not his teammates any longer," she added.

"…whatever,"

Both of them have just accepted a mission in Sand, wary of the fact that they will meet Gaara and his siblings. Sasuke couldn't care less anyway, if it makes the job faster to accomplish, then why should he bother?

Sasuke bit his lips. He had always wished before that the blonde be separated from his team, after he almost sabotaged half of their missions. But now, he resented it. _Maybe I shouldn't wish too hard on something. _He thought, increasing his speed with Sakura following from behind.

They arrived a few hours later, showing their passports at the gate before going in.

"So, you made it," a monotone accent said from behind. Both of the Konoha-nins whirled around and spotted Gaara upside down a tree. His sand suddenly enclosed his being, and then he transferred himself to the ground beside Temari and Kankuro who were in front of them.

Sasuke eyed them closely, not letting his guard down. Sakura on the other hand, approached them and started to talk. "Of course we did. You guys ready?" they all nodded.

"We still need to plan for other complications. I heard they changed the security system," Temari informed them. "We'll discuss it in our place," she further put in, walking in the opposite direction, her actions telling them to follow.

As they arrived, they directly proceeded to their plans, making sure that everything was foolproof and detailed. They cannot afford to make any mistakes.

By nightfall, they acted their part, doing each one efficiently and effectively. Before dawn, they finished; departing with the least amount of trouble. Their first one in many nights, since Naruto left.

Gaara went outside and saw Sasuke staring into nothingness. "Why isn't the idiot with you?" he asked the Uchiha, a knowing look on his face.

"Not your business,"

But the Sand-nin was not fazed. "He left you, didn't he?" he whispered, leaning towards Sasuke, his lips hovering so close to the pale boy's ear. "Just like everyone else,"

Sasuke took a step back, his eyes flashing a crimson red, without his knowledge. "What are you talking about?"

Gaara returned to his original passive expression. "As much as Uzumaki and I are the same, I can't ignore the reality that," he trailed, pointing a finger at Sasuke before continuing. "…you and I need each other even more," then he disappeared.

In the next instance, Temari came into view, a smile adorning her features. Her gaze locked onto the Uchiha's confused being. "What did he mean?" Sasuke asked the older woman.

A chuckle. "It means that he's jealous of Naruto-kun,"

* * *

"Where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked Ino when he returned from his mission. Almost a month has passed by and it was his day-off.

The heir of the Yamanaka clan stopped from watering her flowers. "Mission in Sand. They'll be back after a few days," News of their team's division had been long ago discovered.

"Thanks," Naruto said before leaving. _I guess I wouldn't be seeing them for a while. _He said to himself. Naruto walked inside Ichiraku's and ordered his favorite ramen. After finishing five bowls, he took out a black notebook and began writing.

"What's that?" a voice from behind asked. Naruto recognized it.

"Nothing, Neji. Just some… things," the blonde said, evading the topic. He closed the notebook and stuffed it into one of his pockets. "What are you doing here?" he queried, his memory drifting back into a few hours ago, when the pale-eyed boy said that he would just go back home and rest.

Neji ordered two bowls of miso ramen and handed one to the blonde youth, discerning the truth that he already ate five bowls just minutes ago.

"For me?" Naruto's eyes glittered at the steaming bowl and his eyes watered. "Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou," he tugged on the older boy's long sleeved shirt before pulling him to a bear hug.

Neji tried to pull away, but failed when he was hypnotized by the warmth the blue-eyed boy delivered. When Naruto started eating, he noticed that he can't just wipe the smile off his face. They boy was just too happy!

Naruto finished his bowl just as Neji was only starting. He eyed the eating boy silently. "Yah know, even when eating, you really look graceful," he commented.

Neji chewed the noddles in his mouth and swallowed it. "Is that what you really think?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yup. I mean, ramen is the messiest thing you'd ever eat in your life because of the soup and the slurping and everything, but you still manage to eat it without getting stained," he informed the Hyuuga with his 'as-a-matter-of-fact' look. "but yah wanna know another thing?"

Neji waited silently for the next words that will follow.

"Ramen tastes the best when you eat it carelessly, that's cause you enjoy it," he grinned, as if asking Neji to finish the soup left by drinking it directly from the bowl, and not use the spoon.

The pale eyed boy just laughed shortly. "You and your point of views," he muttered.

"What's that?"

Neji did not respond, instead drank the remaining soup directly from the bowl. When he finished, a thin trail of soup escaped his lips. Neji was not aware.

Naruto reached to snatch a tissue from the holder. "Wait, don't move," just then, he placed the tissue on the spot where the soup dripped from and wiped the mess away. "There, all better," he said, grinning goofily.

Neji smiled, his eyes softening. "Thanks,"

"Sure,"

Neji paid the old man in the store and they started walking. The night was young and their destination was nowhere. After completing five missions non-stop, Neji learned to relax around the golden youth. He still didn't know the reason for the Hokage to give those jobs all at once, but at one point, he was thankful. He felt that being with Naruto was like being saved from the past he tried to forget.

Naruto was whistling a happy tune as he smiled to particularly no one. The last job was fairly easy, and he thought that he would be used to killing by now, but he wasn't. _I need to get used to this job before I cause a major sabotage in one of our missions. _He told himself behind the happy tune he whistled. _I need that money. _

When they finally stopped, they were standing in front of the Hokage's tower. Before they knew it, Shikamaru was in front of them.

"Neji, Naruto, Tsunade-sama wants to see you,"

The two of them nodded at the same time, and then proceeded inside.

They opened the door to the Hokage's room and went inside. "I have another mission for you to be done. You will leave in three days," she said simply, then handed the scrolls to them. "I expect a full report when you return. Take care," she said simply, a worrying look cast upon Naruto when he slowly took one scroll from Neji's hand.

Neji was the first one to exit the room, Naruto telling him to just wait outside if he liked. As the door closed, Naruto dropped to the floor. "I can't do this any more Tsunade-baabaa," his voice was defeated, tired.

She sighed. "I know it's hard, Naruto. And I would like to help you more, but this is all I can do for you,"

A bowed head and a muffled reply. "I know. I should thank you I guess, but every night… every damn night…" he trailed off, his mask dropping and shattering a million pieces.

Then he stood up and left, leaving behind a Hokage blaming herself for not being able to do anything.

* * *

"Have you seen Naruto?" a dark-haired boy asked the owner of the flower shop. To his dismay, the blonde kunoichi shook his head.

"He just left for another mission," she informed him. "That's strange, Naruto just asked me the same question three days ago. He was also looking for you,"

_Another mission? What is he up to? Is he avoiding me?_ Issues began to attack his mind once again, but he dismissed it when the kunoichi lunged herself to his left arm. "Why are you looking for that baka anyway?" Ino asked sweetly, trying her teary-eyed pout on the Uchiha, but Sasuke just looked away and detached Ino from his arm.

"None of your business," his cold voice told her off and she stood like a rock, a sad look in her eyes.

It confused Sasuke, and he didn't like to be confused. Something was definitely not right and it wasn't normal for any shinobi to be out on a mission so frequently. _What the hell is going on Naruto? _He asked the absent boy, knowing no one would reply.

His confusion started after the blonde confessed to him with a song. He hadn't answered yet, and somehow, he didn't know what to say. How to say it, or whether he should reject him or not. His mind wasn't helping either and his heart…

* * *

Neji finished burying the body and destroyed the remaining evidence. He glanced at Naruto who was transporting a blank look on his face. It had always been that way since they started on these assassination missions together. It was a routine, the blonde would volunteer to wipe out the victim then he would enter a trance. When they return to their journey on the way back, when Naruto thought he was asleep, he would reach blindly for his notebook and write. What he scribbles was something Neji did know.

He wanted to ask what he writes down, but he can't. He already knew that Naruto didn't like doing these missions, which added to his uncertainty. Why would he do this if he didn't want to?

However, one look in his blue orbs that usually was vast like the sky and now seemingly felt constricted, Neji could only want to take the boy into his arms and comfort him. The deep sea of emotions that swam around the blue eyes that has the color of the skies was drowning him into the void of despair, of vanquish into realizing that he is unable to console the younger boy without wanting anything in return.

They journeyed back home, his gut feeling telling him that they would be given another job soon. This time, he knew what to do.

They arrived at the Hokage's tower at the same night, this time, Naruto was handing the mission report. Neji knew what she was going to ask next. It was also part of the routine.

_Who did it? _Neji asked in his mind.

"Who did it?" The Hokage asked, as if taking the words out of Neji's head.

"I did," Naruto answered.

Tsunade kept silent.

"Anything else?" Naruto inquired. It was also a routine, and Neji perceived that every time the golden youth would ask the same question, Tsunade would give them another mission. It was like having a conversation between Naruto and the Hokage and he was being left out.

Tsunade closed her eyes, afraid for Naruto. _The world is cruel. _"Yes, there's another mission for you…"

"No,"

Tsuande opened her eyes in shock from what he heard. "What did you say?"

Neji kept his gaze emotionless. "I said no. I will not do any missions for a while,"

Naruto was incredulous. He didn't expect Neji to decline at this moment. "Wait, I think we should accept," he told the Hyuuga. _I have no time to lose. _

Neji shook his head, and then turned to the Hokage. "I think we deserved a break, we've already completed far too many missions. Don't you think so, Tsunade-sama?" Neji expected the hot-tempered leader to retort back and say that they should not disobey the orders of the Hokage, but he was surprised to see that Tsunade was giving him a smile.

A thankful smile.

"Yes, I think you deserved it too. I have other people who can handle this anyway,"

Naruto banged his hand on the table. "No. We can do it," he asserted.

Tsuande glared at him and he clamped his mouth. "Naruto, you should rest. You've been stressing yourself too much for your own _good_," she said, emphasizing the last word rather heavily. Neji wondered again why.

Naruto sighed in defeat. "Fine," he finally said, leaving the room right away.

"I don't believe that you are short on people," Neji stated when he was sure that Naruto wasn't not within hearing range. "What are you up to?"

Tsunade just dug through the paper that were scattered on her table. "I don't like how you're handling this interrogation, Hyuuga. But if you must know, I just want my best and most competent soldiers doing these missions," and at that, the subject was closed.

* * *

"Damn, why the hell did Neji have to decline?" he muttered to himself, clutching his chest. He was walking around, not really caring where he went. Then he felt someone close up behind him.

"Oi,"

"Hey Neji,"

Neji fell into step with him. He knew that the blonde wanted to know why he declined, but Naruto didn't ask. Instead, they just walked. It appears that they were entering the training grounds.

Naruto looked up, sensing the rush of chakra. A blur went whizzing past him and he saw Sasuke on the ground, panting. And on the other side…

Gaara?

_What is he doing here? And why is he sparring with him? _"Sasuke!" he shouted and the dark haired boy slowly turned one elegant head to look at the source of the voice.

"Naruto," he whispered and then stood up, brushing the sweat on his forehead away.

Naruto ran, smiling like crazy. "So this is where you are. Come on," he said, grabbing the pale boy in one wrist and pulling him not too gently.

Sasuke pulled away. "What do you think you're doing dobe?"

Naruto ignored the insult and reached for the wrist again and tugged. "I haven't seen you and Sakura for a while, so we're all going to bond together!" he exclaimed, tugging the pale boy away.

A hand stopped him.

"Wha--"

A fist connected with his nose. Naruto was blown away.

"He doesn't want to come with you," Gaara stated.

Neji walked briskly towards the attacked boy after throwing a glare at the Sand-nin. Naruto was recovering already, but has trouble steadying his vision.

Sasuke was angry. "Why the fuck did you do that?" he hissed.

Gaara did not answer the Uchiha, instead took his wrist and led him away.

As soon as Naruto's vision steadied, he immediately rushed to attack the offender back. However, Neji stood in his way.

"Get out of the way, Neji,"

"Let it go, Naruto. There will be other chances,"

The blonde clenched his fist and chakra began to gather in his hand. His cheeks flushed red with irritation and he flung his hand in the nearby tree. It exploded into bits of chunked wood.

"I'll get him for this," he vowed, and then he sauntered away, disappearing in a haze of puffy smoke.

Neji heaved the breath he was holding, becoming conscious with the fact that it was the first time he had seen Naruto that furious. He took a glance at the destroyed tree.

_What's this? _He slowly trudged to the broken pieces of wood and came across a black notebook.

Naruto's notebook.

Neji picked it up, wanting to return it to the rightful owner, but his curiosity got the better of him. He opened the notebook and read the first page.

_Uchiha Sasuke. Sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. _He read in his mind. Flipping a few pages, he decided that he would return the notebook later.

_Maybe… maybe this will contain the answers I am looking for… _

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: Woah… again… another long chapter… wowzers… what do you think was written in the notebook?

Review?


	5. Fifth Channel: Searching for Redemption

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk **

A/N: I think the story is going a bit fast… don't you think so?

First, I like Neji and Gaara and Naruto, and I don't like Sasuke. I like Sasuke with Naruto more than I like Neji with Naruto. And Gaara is more of an option… so… maybe I should let you decide…

Second, I've also taken into consideration the demon fox inside Naruto. It's true that the fox can heal wounds and get poison out of the system. But the blood clot is the remnant of the wound, mind you. And even with healing abilities, there are still things that are inevitable.

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

_Hope dangles on a string…like slow spinning redemption…_

**Fifth Channel: Searching for Redemption**

Neji sat down in his wooden desk and stared blindly at the notebook that did not belong to him. As member of a prominent family in Konoha and being one of the most respected jounins there is, it felt immoral to read into someone else's private life. Of course, there is such a thing as 'right to privacy' and opening the damned notebook would mean that he is infringing on that right.

On the other hand, he wanted—needed—to know about the mystery surrounding the sudden change of Naruto's personality. Something was simply misplaced in the matter and it didn't feel right that Naruto would keep all this to himself.

He felt the need to protect Naruto.

Pushing all pride aside, he slowly took the bound pieces of paper into his hands and began reading. It was odd, really, when he saw Uchiha Sasuke's name on the front page when the handwriting more than screamed 'Naruto'.

_Sasuke, _Neji began reading. _It's sunny today. You have been sitting against that tree branch for more than an hour, staring ahead. Sakura's shouting your name again and again and you ignore her. Sometimes I think you should give her more credit for still staying beside you even through all these years._

At that, the first entry finished, a small smile placed upon the reader's face. It was really Naruto, the way he wrote, what he wrote and the reaction that contained it. Neji found that he was extremely interested at what else was written in the journal. And the question of why the blonde was addressing his entries to Sasuke intrigue him more.

_Sasuke, it's sunny again today. Training was tough today, especially since you're getting stronger everyday. You smiled a little today. I think you're proud of your accomplishments. I know I am. _

Next page.

_Sasuke, it's cloudy today, but the sun still struggles to show his presence to us. I didn't see you anywhere so I figured that you did not leave your house. Why do you force yourself to stay alone anyway? _

Another…

_Sasuke, the wind is harsh today, and rain is slightly pouring down, yet, you still continued to train. I wish you would take care of yourself since I know when you get sick you wouldn't ask for anybody's help. _

Another…

_Sasuke, it's sunny today. As usual, we got into a fight. You always insult me and I know I insult you back, but I never try to retaliate more than once or twice. I always let you win since I know it makes you feel good. You like winning. And if beating me and insulting me to the point that I won't retort back would make you feel good, then I would gladly give you that pleasure. _

Neji sighed, flipping to the next page but not reading anything yet. Now he knew why the blonde would just let Sasuke taunt him and beat him in their spars and fights. Sasuke, he knew, never noticed it though. And Neji knew that Naruto is seeing that fact as well. Sasuke didn't pay attention to his surrounding as long as he wins. He didn't think that Naruto is capable of beating him down with a blink of an eye. Besides, the blonde on no account wanted to show that to the Uchiha.

_So this is how you feel about him…_The white-eyed boy saddened at the thought; his emotionless eyes betraying his inner thoughts. Fingering the notebook in his hand, he returned to what he was doing and scanned through the next pages, knowing that the blue-eyed boy was relaying his emotions to the oblivious black-eyed youth. Somehow, it felt wrong to invade such intimate sentiments now…

_What is this? _An inquisitive eye never misses a thing as it seems. His fingers fumble through a few pieces of blank pages before coming across legible handwriting again. The entries were longer than the first once, but they were still addressed to Uchiha. He continued flipping to other pages and found that most of them were also short but some of them were long. And as he scanned them, he sensed traces of chakra that was left within it, indicating that it was newly written. Then the memories of Naruto writing after their mission plagued him. He went back to the first page after the series of blank pages.

_Sasuke, turn away from the crowd and its fruitless pursuit of fame and gold. Never look back as you close your door to the sorry tumult of greed and ambition. Wipe away your tears of failure and misfortune. Lay aside your heavy load and rest until your heart is still. Be at peace. Already it is later than you think, for your earthly life, at best, is only the blink of an eyes between two eternities. Nothing here can harm you except yourself. Do those which you dread and cherish those victories with pride. Concentrate your energy. To be everywhere is to be nowhere._

_Be jealous of your time, since it is your greatest treasure. Reconsider your goals. Before you set your heart too much on anything, examine how happy they are who already possess what your desire. Love your family and count you blessings. Reflect how eagerly they would sought if you do not have them. Put aside your impossible dreams and complete the task at hand no matter how distasteful. All great achievements come from working and waiting. Be patient. God's delays are never God's denials. Hold on. Hold fast. Know that your paymaster is always near. What you sow, good or evil that you will reap. Never blame your condition on others. You are what you are through your choice alone. Learn to live with honest poverty, if you must, and turn to more important matters than transporting gold to your grave. _

Neji stopped at that point, marveling at where those words came from. It wasn't like Naruto to say those kinds of advices. _But why is it? Why is it I feel that he's saying goodbye? _Neji closed his eyes then carried on reading.

_Sasuke, anxiety is the rust of life; when you add tomorrow's to today's, their weight becomes unbearable. Avoid the mourner's bench and give thanks, instead, for your defeats. You would not receive them if you did not need them. Always learn from others. He who teaches himself has a fool for a master. Be careful. Do not overload your conscience. Conduct your life as if it were spent in an arena filled with tattlers. Avoid boasting. If you see anything in you that puffs you with pride look closer and you will find more than enough to make you humble. _

_Be wise. Realize that all men are not created equal, for there is no equality in nature; yet no man was ever born whose work was not born with him. Work everyday as if it were your first, yet tenderly treat the lives you touch as if they will all end at midnight. Love everyone, even those who deny you, for hate is a luxury you cannot afford. Seek out those in need. Learn that he who delivers with one hand will always gather with two. Be of good cheer. Above all, remember that very little is needed to make a happy life. Look up. Reach out. Cling simply to God and journey quietly on your pathway to forever with charity and a smile. When you depart it will be said by all that your legacy was a better world than the one you found. _

Neji sighed. The meanings contained in it were beautiful, and he felt like it shed some light in his tattered soul. Then he turned to the next page.

_Sasuke, rain was unstoppable, pouring over the outside with sadistic cruelty. Trees were twisting from the ferocious blowing of the wind. I can still recall what I witness from the glass window. I saw a pair of translucent blue eyes staring as the water washed everything away. I knew then it was my image so I held out my hands, watched as the water flow unto my palms, and then I withdrew them. _

_I guess that not even rain can wash away the blood that spilt in my hands _

_It replayed, again and again in my mind, in my eyes. Nothing ceases it from going on. The incessant display of mockery in my eyes that was reflected in my victim's soul, the silent plea for alleviation from his companion… _

_I wound the wire around their necks and I killed them, but their screams still echo in my mind.

* * *

_

_Sasuke, today my mission is to kill a woman whom I've come to know, has a family struggling to survive. I don't know why the client wanted that woman dead, and as I saw her, I can sense nothing evil of any sort and I felt guilty. I didn't want to kill that woman. I didn't want to take away the mother of those children. But I have no choice! Neji asked me whether I would do the job or not, and somehow, I think he knows that I was reluctant. But I told him that I will do it. I have to. _

_Stealthily, I entered their home. And as I advanced, I could swear that her eyes just pleaded for me to spare her. But what could I do? I had no choice! I have to finish the mission. _

_Again, my target screamed her voiceless scream. And at the corner of my eye, I saw her children coming out of their rooms. I left as quietly as I came.

* * *

_

_Sasuke, our target seemed to hire guards that he thought would protect him. But he was wrong. And I wasn't happy about it. I needed to get close to the target and that alone entailed me to kill even more people. Those innocent, ignorant people… _

_I used my wire to grapple the hired men to the ground. I didn't want to kill them, but I couldn't let them get in the way. I knocked them unconscious instead. Neji hurriedly came pass me and I just stood there until he was done. I was relieved that Neji did not ask me or gave me a choice. For the first time, I was glad that I wasn't the one who finished the things through._

Neji slammed the notebook on his desk and his hand traveled to the chair that was neatly tucked under the desk. He gripped the edge of the desk so hard that the wood was crushed into fine grains of sand in his hand. He couldn't explain how he was feeling at the moment. Whether he was mad or puzzled or whether he should comfort the broken boy that wrote all those entries in the journal… he was lost, and he didn't like it.

The wind blew, wanting to cool the mixed up boy down, and simultaneously, the notebook tossed to the last entry.

Neji read again.

_Sasuke, don't be fooled by me. Don't be fooled by the face I wear. For I wear a mask, I wear a thousand mask; masks that I'm afraid to take off though none of them are me. _

_Pretending is an art that's good and second nature with me, but don't be fooled, for God's sake, don't be fooled. _

_I gave you an impression that I'm secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me. That confidence is my name and coolness my game. That the water's calm and I'm in command, and that I need no one… please don't believe me… please… _

_My face may seem smooth, but my surface is a mask, my ever varying and ever-concealing mask. Beneath lays no smugness, no complacence. Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear, in aloneness._

_But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know. I panic at the thought of being exposed. That is why I frantically create a mask to hide behind, a nonchalant, sophisticated façade, to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows. _

_But such a glance is precisely my salvation. My only salvation. And I know it. If it is followed by acceptance, it is followed by love. It's the only thing that can liberate me from myself. From my own self-built prison wall, from the barriers that I also painstakingly erect. _

_It's the only thing that can assure me of what I can't assure myself, that I'm really worth something. But I don't tell you this, I don't dare. I'm afraid to. I'm afraid that your glance will not be followed by acceptance and love. I'm afraid that you will think less of me, that you'll laugh and your laugh will kill me. _

_I'm afraid that deep down I am nothing, that I'm just no good, and you will see this and reject me. So I play my game, my desperate pretending game, with a façade of assurance without a trembling child within. _

_And my life becomes a front. _

_I idly chatter to you in the suave tone of surface talk. I tell you everything that's really nothing, and nothing of what's everything, of what's crying within me. So when I'm going through my routine, do not be fooled by what I'm saying. _

_Please listen carefully and try to hear what I'm not saying. What I'd like to be able to say, what for survival I need to say, but what I cannot say._

_I dislike hiding. Honestly. I dislike the superficial game I'm playing, the superficial phony game…_

_I'd like to be really genuine and spontaneous and me… but you have to help me… I need you to help me…_

_Please…please… _

A warm tear slid down the Hyuuga's usually passive face, as he closed the notebook with a soft 'puff'. He never imagined that the sunny and genki boy was filled with so much remorse and anguish, and other things he thought he had experienced himself. After reading, Neji was ashamed of his previous actions towards that main house, his hate towards them, towards the world. He thought the world crashed above him. He realized that he was selfish, and that he didn't really know the outside world. He didn't know what real pain really was.

And this… this golden youth was the one who taught him the most important lesson that he couldn't have learned even with years spent inside the academy or years of experience outside it. How the boy taught him compassion and never giving up and still trying to stand up even when you're down and alone.

At this instant, he understood why when he read the previous entry; he felt that Naruto was saying goodbye.

He did say goodbye. He said 'goodbye' to the Naruto who was innocent and once carefree and said 'hello' to the Naruto whose hands are forever stained in blood.

And even if the feelings were now evident to him, he knew that Uchiha Sasuke wasn't.

_You are such an idiot Uchiha, if you won't give Naruto salvation… I will…

* * *

_

Frantic hands rummaged through the chunks of woods that were left behind hours ago. Blue eyes glimmered with anxiety that somehow, someone must've found his binder. _You. Are. So. Stupid. Uzumaki Naruto. How could you just leave your most important possession behind? _He taunted himself. _Wait… when I left, Neji was still here. Maybe he saw it and got it. _He hurriedly left the site and ran to the Hyuuga's house.

He knocked, with shaky hands he knocked softly, praying in his mind that the long-haired boy would have the sympathy to not read the contents of the black binder. He knocked with dread that his secret may have been discovered. _Faith and trust Naruto. Faith and trust. _

Colorless eyes greeted his own blue, staring at him with uncertainty and at this he was troubled; troubled to the extent that the rest of his worries were clouded with another, when he thought he saw the knowing look on his partner's face.

He peered behind Neji's shoulder and saw what he was looking for on top of the said desk, opened.

Naruto rushed to gather it, closing it immediately and noticed the open window and the wind rushing through it.

"You didn't… you didn't read it right Neji?" fear was evident in his eyes and they stared at Neji's who didn't answer. "Tell me, you didn't right? Right?" the blonde pushed the long-haired boy into the wall, the notebook dropping to oblivion.

"Right?" he pressed on, his nails digging in Neji's shoulders. Neji turned away.

"Fuck you," Naruto spat. "How dare you squeeze your nose into my life! Fuck you!" he shouted, punching the boy that was trapped between him and the wall. "What are you supposed to do now, huh? After knowing what I feel, do you think you can do anything about it? Do you think you can collect the broken pieces and paste them back together? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN REDEEM ME?"

Something inside Neji snapped and he pushed the blonde away from him and attacked back. "Why? Why do you keep torturing yourself like this? If you didn't want to kill anybody you could've just said no! Why else would you have written those entries then?" Neji asked back, his hands holding down the flailing ones of Naruto. "Isn't redemption what you really want?" he hissed.

Naruto glared at him. "Don't mock me Hyuuga. You don't know anything,"

"Oh, I think I know enough,"

"Fuck you,"

"No," colorless eyes stared boldly at blue "Fuck YOU. Whoever said that you have no choice in our missions? Whoever said that you should accept the missions you don't want to do? Whoever said that you should torment yourself like this? You have a choice Naruto!"

Naruto, sensing that his hands were no longer held bound by the other boy, released himself from his grasp. "You don't understand me! I don't have any choice, I DON'T! I need the money… No. I want the money!"

Neji flinched, never expecting those words to come out straight from the loudmouth's mouth. "Money? So is money everything that you're willing to sell your sanity to anything? Is money so important that you're willing to sell your life to whoever's giving it?"

"Yes," Naruto answered without hesitation.

Neji glared at the blonde. "Really? How much are you then Naruto?"

At this question, the blonde boy was taken aback, but then realizing what Neji meant, he glared back, his stare equally defiant as the Hyuuga's. "Why? How much can you give me Neji?"

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: **"Please hear what I'm not saying"** the last entry in the chapter is just adapted. And the first entry after the series of blank pages is entitled **"Credenda"** by **Og Mandido and Buddy Kaye**

Review?


	6. Sixth Channel: The Worth of Me

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk

* * *

**

A/N: sixth chapter already… this chapter is quite short that's because I'm having trouble thinking of the next scenes… any suggestions?

Maybe I shouldn't put any notes here… I don't even say anything that's worth your time… sigh… on with it…

* * *

**Sixth Channel: The Worth of Me**

At this question, the blonde boy was taken aback, but then realizing what Neji meant, he glared back, his stare equally defiant as the Hyuuga's. "Why? How much can you give me Neji?"

"W-what?"

Naruto sighed and stepped up; he pulled the chair and then sat on it. "You asked me how much I am, right? I'm merely asking how much you can give me. If I were to sell myself to someone, I have to make sure that I get the correct amount,"

"That's not what the Naruto I know would say," the pale-eyed Hyuuga countered, trying to ignore and forget what he just heard from the blonde youth that sat just a few paces away from him. "That's not what he would say. He won't sell himself short to anyone!" Neji said still, repeating it over and over, convincing himself.

Naruto shook his head. "Why are you talking about me in the third person? I'm Naruto. I'm real. I'm not some jutsu,"

"No! Naruto would not say what you just said," he pressed.

The blonde rushed to where Neji was and slapped him on the cheek. "Stop priding yourself with the things you think you know! They mean nothing! You don't know anything about me!"

_/every time I try to grasp something real they disappear/ _

"What do you mean I don't know anything about you? You're Naruto!" Neji pushed back the blonde that was spanning him and rubbed his red cheek.

"Yes, I'm Naruto. I'm everything you think I am," the sarcasm in the blonde's voice was rolling off his tongue a thousand fold and Neji felt like he was being washed away. "I'm just some boy with a demon sealed inside me,"

_/and when I open my eyes, darkness is all that I'm seeing/ _

"No!" Neji was wide-eyed, stunned at the blonde. "That's not what I meant!"

A smirk. "Really now?" Naruto did not smirk.

_/no one even hears my screams for acceptance and freedom/ _

"I mean," Neji's mind was void of any thoughts. He didn't know what to say to Naruto at the moment, and he wasn't sure if he could continue this conversation. "Look, Naruto. If ever you need anything, I'm just here. We're all here for you," the Hyuuga said, wanting to comfort the obviously broken boy. He sat next to Naruto who was leaning on the wall and he also leaned on it, stretching his legs and still rubbing his sore cheek.

Drained of all his energy, Naruto inclined his head and rested it on Neji's shoulder. "What do you want me to believe? Do you actually think that after hearing those words, I'd expect you to come save me? To play my angel in a flowing ethereal dress?"

Neji allowed a small smile. "Do you want me to be?"

"No," the rush of the answer was not anticipated by the Hyuuga, who sucked in his breath and let the reply slide into the back of his mind. Suddenly, a deep throated chuckle was heard from the leaning boy. "What you say are all lies. Sprouting from the mouth of the devil himself," Naruto's eyes were closed, and his smile was overwhelmed by anguish. "Redemption is something I can only hope for but cannot have,"

An angry frown now settled on Neji's face. "Why do you deprive yourself of something you can have? Why do you deprive yourself of the only thing you know you need?" He didn't understand. He didn't all. He knows that Naruto was containing a huge amount of burden upon his shoulders and it's killing him slowly but he couldn't comprehend the reason for his feelings toward his life.

Something was definitely not fitting in the picture.

"Because this is my destiny. This is my fate. Once a demon will always be a demon," At this point, Naruto decided to stand up and walk his way out the door, the stare of the pale-eyed Hyuuga smoldering his back.

"You never let that hinder you before. You told me that you don't believe in things like fate and destiny," Neji retorted, his stare still on Naruto's back. "And you never considered yourself a demon,"

Naruto placed his hand on the door knob. "Think what you want. I'm out of here,"

_/this is the way I'm always going to live/ _

The notebook the blonde went to recover was left forgotten.

_/always/

* * *

_

Sasuke lunged himself at the Sand-nin and punched him square at the jaw. "What do you think you're doing?" he tried to land another punch but was blown away by the sand that was protecting the red-haired boy. "You have no right to just lead me around like some leashed puppy!" he got up and channeled his chakra to his feet to propel himself faster. "Don't act like you're my owner!" Sasuke crouched and slid his foot to outbalance Gaara. Gaara merely jumped backwards and landed on a tree branch. Not discouraged, Sasuke charged and threw two shurikens. "I'm not your property!" he hissed dangerously, cutting through the air like a double-edged knife.

Gaara just stepped aside and dodged the Uchiha's attacks. "I didn't say you were," monotone replied to irate ones.

"Then why the hell did you have to assail Naruto?" Sasuke recovered immediately and began striking Gaara back, using taijutsu as his method. "Why did you have to do that?"

Gaara stopped and gazed at Sasuke with cool green eyes. "Because you didn't want to come with him,"

"What?"

"You withdrew your hand when he pulled you away, but he didn't take the hint. I just made him understand your rejection,"

"_Rejection?_" the dark-haired boy said incredulous. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

The red-haired ninja from Sand didn't answer. Gaara turned around and walked away, leaving the dark-haired boy more annoyed than ever.

Sasuke felt like he didn't have enough sparring to vent out his anger, but bewilderment on his part clouded his anger. _Whenever I'm hanging with Gaara, I always get confused. _Without a sparring partner, he went back to the village.

* * *

Naruto closed Neji's door behind him softly and leaned on it, breathing heavily. He clutched his chest and found himself thinking of dying on the spot. _But that would only mean spoiling Neji's doorsteps. _He thought back, struggling to get on his feet and move, return to his apartment and rest the pain away.

Naruto flinched and found breathing harder to do every passing minute. _No, not now; I still have work to do. _He willed himself to calm down and convince himself that it was just the effect of the argument he had with the Hyuuga. He stumbled and waved his hand around to see if he can reach something to break his fall.

Feeling nothing, he resolved to just let himself drop to the ground and feel the rocky ground.

But the fall didn't come.

Instead, he sensed that someone caught him. He looked up and aimed to see who broke his fall and in the obscurity of the night, the only thing he saw was a pair of concerned eyes and dark hair, wisps of hair being blown away by the wind, before warmth consumed his being and lulled him to sleep.

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N:

I think that those people who thought that Neji would actually 'buy' Naruto, might be so shocked to see that I didn't really make Neji 'buy' him. Heh, I just thought that it wasn't like Neji to do that, and frankly, I'm trying to keep the characters in their own attitudes… yah know… so they're not OOC… although I failed at some points…

Anyway, this is my reply to my very NICE reviewers… although it would probably boost my moral more if really many people would come to read and review right? But! I guess I should probably be thankful that I have YOU guys!

**tins:** hey… I'm not really mean… I just want to keep things in suspense!

**bloodofakiller:** Wow, you're my first real constant reviewer! But you didn't review on the third channel, which made me kind of sad, because before I posted the fourth channel, I was waiting for you to review… well, that's in the past now… and about the pairings, I'm still having a hard time deciding. I really like Neji, but I like Sasuke with Naruto… I'm still thinking about it, but you would still love this story even if it didn't turn out to be NaruSasu right? –teary eyes-

**Agacissko:** yah know I update real fast… I mean, faster than most people… I post the next chapters after every two or three days, well… except for this one… which I posted almost a week after… anyway, about Naruto being a bitch to Neji OR Sasuke? It isn't a bad idea… at all, but, I've already read stories with Naruto being a bitch, but there are a few differences with it… wait! You just gave me a MAJOR idea for the next chapters… THANKS!

**ArrowHeart:** Yup, I know that the left ventricle pumps blood to the body via the aorta, but yah see, I read in a book that the RIGHT ventricle is actually the one pumping blood to the lungs… but I guess, if I want to paralyze Naruto or something, I have to go with your fact. Since if I totally block the passageway of the right ventricle which supplies blood to the lungs, Naruto'll have to die, right? What if I just make this vague picture of Naruto having a heart problem instead of detailing it to avoid confusion? Whaddya think?

**Silent Victory:** This chapter is the answer to your question about Naruto being sold to Neji. But even if I did make Neji accept the proposition of Naruto, I don't think that Neji would actually use Naruto in _that_ way… or at least not if I make it… -loud laugh- but you have to wait for the upcoming chapters to see whether Neji would get Naruto or Sasuke will realize how big of a loss Naruto is… 'coz even I don't control the flow of the story… yah know, I just 'release the ink that flows within my heart'… heh…

**Ly:** wowzers, we're the same! I don't like Sasuke, but I love SasuNaru… but this is not a SasuNaru, it's NaruSasu… meaning Naru gets to be the aggressive one! Heh… yah liked Naruto's entries? Thanks… that's a really nice compliment… -smiles brightly- anyway, you better hang on to read the next chapters if you want to see who gets who…

**Strawberries and Napkins:** I think that it is within Neji's principle not to lie to people he likes… that's why he didn't deny the fact to Naruto… oh yeah, thanks for also being a constant reviewer! And yeah, I can't stand it when people get sad too, esp. when it's my fault…

Review?


	7. Seventh Channel: Ruminations

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Spoilers: OOC, self-angst, stubbornness

A/N:

**Scientific Basis: (Please read for those who are confused about Naruto's present situation.)**

I've been told that the blood gets pumped to the body through the left ventricle via the aorta. Well, that's true, but considering the blood path, the blood would only reach the left ventricle after it travels through the vena cava, right atrium and ventricle, through the pulmonary artery, then the lungs where the blood drops of carbon dioxide and picks oxygenated blood from it, and then moves through the pulmonary vein, the left atrium, and then the left ventricle where it is pumped throughout the body via the aorta before it returns again. So basically, if the blood flow stops in the right ventricle, it is even more fatal since if it does not go into the lungs, then oxygen will not be supplied through the body and carbon dioxide would poison the system, leaving the victim dead or paralyzed.

I guess I got confused when **Arrow Heart** pointed out the left ventricle fact, no matter how true the fact is, (and I want to thank you for telling me that). I just want to point out that, so there won't be any confusion as to why Naruto has this or that or whatever might happen to him in this fic.

So… are clear on that?

Lecture… out!

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

**Seventh Channel: Ruminations **

**My love is like to ice and I to fire **

Umino Iruka was walking down the darkened road, ignoring the pleas of his student, Konohamaru. For the past two hours, the young "protégé" of Naruto was pestering Iruka to help him pull his latest prank, which was to fill the Hokage's bathroom with frogs and worms and certain other slimy creatures that every female would certainly try to avoid, even if she was _the _Hokage. However, even after a thousand no's, the kid was still going on and on about it.

Iruka stopped short and faced the kid who was growing up to be almost the exact likeness of Naruto. "Look Konohamaru, for the last time, I won't help you," he said exasperatingly, but the kid still continued to tug onto his shirt.

"But I won't tell anybody that you helped me!" he countered, trying to use his best pout and puppy look that his master tried to teach him a couple of years back. Naruto told him that 'it' never failed.

Well, not this time though. Iruka just detached Konohamaru's hand from his shirt and continued walking. "She summons a huge snail, for crying out loud! How can you still say that your prank would work on her? And she would skin you alive, kid,"

Konohamaru just rubbed a finger under his nose and smiled arrogantly. "Because she's a girl, sensei. Naruto-nii told me that no matter how the Hokage handles a slimy creature, she's still a girl. And girls hate slimy creatures!"

"Honestly!" Iruka turned and knelt on one knee and dropped his hands on Konohamaru's shoulder. "Do you think you're going to get away with every prank you pull? Maybe you shouldn't have hung-out with Naruto so often,"

"I'll always get away with it. After all, I was taught by the best!"

Iruka slapped a hand on his forehead. _Kids these days._ He thought, still muttering a 'no' to the kid. They continued to walk around, and Iruka was starting to wonder when the kid will give up. _It seemed like he even inherited Naruto's hard head on their time together._ Iruka sighed and decided to talk to Naruto in the morning to discuss with him Konohamaru's behavior.

"Naruto-nii!" he heard the kid beside him shout and he glanced at where Konohamaru was waving, expecting the blonde youth to run towards them with a smile he usually portrays. "Naruto…nii?" Konohamaru's voice suddenly turned soft as his declaration of Naruto's name became a question. Iruka peered harder, striving to see further into the fog which did not hide the fact that it was Naruto whom the kid saw.

"Naruto!" Iruka started to ran towards the blonde youth, completely worried as he saw Naruto fainting and half-way colliding to the rocky ground.

He caught Naruto in time.

Iruka shook the unconscious boy and decided to take him home instead. "Konohamaru," he turned to call the kid and saw that he was on the verge of tears.

"Naruto-nii… what happened to you?" he whispered to the unhearing boy. Iruka snapped him out of his daze.

"Koonohamaru," Iruka called again. This time, he got his attention. "Get the Hokage and tell her to come to my house as soon as possible,"

Konohamaru sniffed. "Hai!" and then he hurried away.

Iruka then carried Naruto over his shoulders and raced back home. He felt the blonde's forehead, waiting for a sign of fever, but there was none. He noticed the heavy breathings his former student harbored and it worried him to death.

As soon as he arrived, he immediately laid the unconscious boy down the neat bed, and waited for him to wake up.

Naruto stirred. Iruka was alarmed.

As blue emerged from closed lids, he sighed. "How are you feeling, Naruto?" he asked, knowing that Naruto would just say that he's fine.

"Fine," the blonde answered and his mind proved him correct once again.

Iruka chuckled at this. "I would've brought you to the hospital, but after the last time, I figured you would be safer here, than there,"

**How comes it then that his cold so great **

Iruka stood up and went out the room, when he returned, he was holding a glass of water and he handed it to Naruto. The blue-eyed youth took it automatically. "Are you sure? I heard you just returned from numerous missions, so I assume you're drained. But if you were so tired, why'd you have to go out at night?"

"It wasn't only because of the missions, Iruka-san," a voice interrupted, before the blonde had the opportunity to answer. "It's more complicated than that,"

Tsunade entered the room and behind her was Konohamaru, who held the same curious and at the same time, concerned look that Chuunin teacher held. "What do you mean?" Iruka voiced his question, and Naruto stiffened.

"Tsunade-baabaa, don't--"

"No, Naruto. You can't keep hiding these things any longer. You need help,"

"No, I don't. I can get on by myself,"

Tsunade sneered. "Oh really? So maybe that's the reason why Iruka-san found you fainting on the streets then, because you can take care of yourself?"

Naruto halted. He didn't have something to retort. _Damn. _

"What's this about, Hokage-sama?" Iruka asked again, as Tsuande began checking on Naruto.

"Naruto needs to have an operation as soon as possible,"

"What? Why?" Iruka asked, disbelieving the words that came out of the Hokage's mouth. He knew Naruto was fine. Why the hell does he need to be operated?

Tsunade sighed and returned the equipments she brought with her. "Because if he doesn't get one soon, it's either he's dead or paralyzed. This careless kid here got a blood clot stuck on his ventricle and the only way to remove it so the blood could flow freely to his lungs, is by surgical methods,"

"N-no way," Konohamaru mouthed. This wasn't happening to his idol. Not his idol, not to the person he admired the most!

"I'm afraid that is the case. Also one of the reasons why this kid was out most of the time," Tsuande finished explaining. Iruka was frozen on his seat as was the kid who practically worshipped the blonde. Naruto just stared at his hands, uncomprehending.

**Is not dissolved through my so hot desire **

"You didn't have to tell them. I told you, I can raise the money on my own!"

Tsuande gripped the blonde on the upper arm, her grip hard and strong. "Stop being so stubborn, brat! Why don't you try accepting other people's help for once! You can't do anything alone!"

Naruto yanked his arm away from her grip. "I don't want to bother anyone with my problems…" he trailed off, wanting Tsunade and the other people in the room to understand his situation.

Tsuande dropped her arms on her side. "Either way, I want to tell you that your body can't handle any missions from now on. It appears that the clot started to block almost three-fourths of your ventricle. If this keeps up, I'm sorry to say that oxygen won't be supplied to your lungs anymore…" Tsuande stared at him with pleading eyes. "Please take care of yourself, Naruto,"

"But… I can handle it! I'll even do D-class missions! Anything! Just please… don't take me out of doing missions. I need that money!" Naruto's voice was panic-stricken, and his voice was steadily rising. "How do you expect me to have that operation if you take out my only source of income?"

Iruka tapped the Hokage on the shoulder. "You said that he needs to take the operation, right? How much will that be?"

"Iruka-sensei!"

"About half a million, Iruka-san,"

Brown eyes widened. "What! Why so expensive?"

Tsunade sighed loudly and blew a strand of hair out if her eyes. "I wouldn't have charged anything if only I could do the operation by myself. But I need a team of doctors and nurses who would assist me, and they don't want to do anything for Naruto without any payment," she explained. "And if I try to reprimand them, people might hate Naruto more because of a term called 'favoritism'," she added with another sigh.

"You shouldn't have treated me differently, Tsunade-baabaa," blue eyes were hidden under a mop of unruly, spiky blonde hair, but by the tone of his voice, it was clear that he was on the verge of breaking down.

Iruka interrupted and replied to Naruto's reaction before Tsunade can. "What do you want Tsunade-sama to do then? What do you want all of us present here to do then? Do you want us to hate you too?"

"That's not… that's not what I meant,"

Iruka then turned to face the blonde and sat on the side of the bed the blonde was now sitting on. "Don't worry Naruto," he said, ruffling his hair affectionately. "I'll find a way to get the money,"

"Me too Naruto-nii!" the silent boy now butt-in, vowing to help his idol any way he can.

Naruto shook his head. "You don't need to do that, sensei! I'll be fine. I can raise the money! I'm already almost half-way there!" he tried to convince the two to stay out of his problem, but it fell on deaf ears.

"Let us help you this time, Naruto" Iruka said finally, in a voice that Naruto found hard to say no to.

Naruto gave up and smiled thankfully, despite of still thinking of ways how to earn money without having any missions. "Arigato,"

* * *

**But harder grows the more I him entreat **

Neji stared at the fallen notebook on the floor and cursed. He hadn't expected such answers from the blonde and frankly, it made him even more curious. Why did he need money so much? Why was he hiding so many things from them? Why wouldn't he accept other people's help? Why was he denying himself of redemption? And other questions that went on bombarding his mind killed him. He wanted to know answers!

As he looked out the open window, he saw that the night turned into day, as the sun peeked out the eastern sky. Neji had not slept a wink at all, but he didn't mind.

He picked up the forgotten notebook and placed it on top of his desk once again. He went into the bathroom and cleansed himself, deciding to return the notebook back to the rightful owner after his morning patrol.

He slipped inside the bathroom and ran the water hot. It relaxed his tensed muscles. He suddenly felt the need to punch someone. But there was no one around, so instead, he punched the bathroom wall and made a crack on it. _Naruto… why do you plague my mind so? _He wasn't aware of when the blonde became a huge part of his life. It just started out as mindless interest, and then he became concerned about his well being, then…

_Salvation… I'll make sure to give it to you. Since Uchiha clearly wouldn't do anything just yet. _He told himself; his calculating mind considering other options on how he would save the blonde from utter misery.

And vaguely, he wondered if the Hokage would give them any missions soon.

The pale-eyed Hyuuga immediately went out his house and sprinted towards the blonde's apartment, skipping his morning patrol. Before he knocked on the door, he had been standing there for at least ten minutes, debating against himself whether he should face the blonde now or just wait for the right time. Then resolving that nothing will be fixed if he wasted time, he came upon Naruto's apartment and was now knocking on his door.

The door which no one was answering.

He was hesitating to use his Byakugan on Naruto, feeling that he was again infringing on the blonde's privacy. _What's the matter with me? I already violated his right to privacy when I read his journal._

His damn journal.

Neji clenched his fist tightly and used his bloodline limit. He gazed through clutter after clutter of scrolls just waiting to be stolen on the floor of Naruto's apartment, but he failed to see the person he was there for in the first place. Ichiraku came to his mind after that.

He turned his back and started going to the direction of Naruto's favorite place in Konoha. He watched as the villagers scurry about their own ways, not minding about anybody else except their own well-being. And the thought of this made him remember the time when Sasuke betrayed the village for his own selfish deeds.

_He doesn't deserve to be forgiven. _It was what he wanted to say to the Hokage when she pardoned the Uchiha's insolence. _Naruto should've just left him alone, why is he such a persistent kid anyway?_ And this was what he thought when Naruto went out without authorized permission, to pursue the dark-haired traitor.

But now…

Now as he ponders over the whole ordeal, he understood why the blonde was so stuck up with the Uchiha leaving. And he wouldn't have cared a bit if the circumstances were the same as before. However, after seeing the deteriorating happiness that Naruto everyday consumed, he couldn't just leave Uchiha doing his own way while Naruto just stood beside him and encourage him all the way while inside, he was having a hard time fabricating smiles for the dark-haired youth.

Sasuke is selfish, that he came to know. Sasuke wanted everything for himself, even if he doesn't take notice of it yet.

And that made him more livid towards the Uchiha.

Even if Sasuke was keeping the blonde to himself without even realizing his selfishness, even if he was drawing out the love and kindness that should've been given to Naruto instead, even if he keeps on returning the tears of Naruto, the tears that the blonde wants to remain unshed until now… he wouldn't; couldn't and shouldn't heed it now.

Because Sasuke was not important to his life right at this moment. It was Naruto.

And he would assure that he would make Naruto happy, without being as selfish as Uchiha.

He turned to the corner, and saw no one eating at the ramen stall. His mind told him another place.

Hokage's tower.

Not wasting any time, he proceeded to jump up the rooftops, his eyes ardent to see the blonde-haired youth once again.

He plopped to the ground, walking briskly as he saw the tower coming into view.

But not until he saw Sasuke in front of him, staring at someone who was undeniably…

"Naruto,"

* * *

**Or how comes it that my exceeding heat **

"Nii-chan," Konohamaru poked Naruto's side. "Nii-chan, you're going to be alright, right?"

Naruto smiled, ruffling the kid's hair like how Iruka did to him. "Course I am! Why wouldn't I be? You silly kid!" he told the sniffing boy. However, his mind betrayed his words. He didn't know if he will be fine or not in the end.

"Honto?"

"Honto,"

Konohamaru wavered and then grinned. "You better be! Or else I won't forgive you! Ever!" he told the blonde boy who was also grinning at him.

The kid stood up. "I'm off then," he said and Naruto stood up as well. "I'm going to ask for a mission from the Hokage," he told the blonde boy and Naruto just looked at him in mild surprise. "I'm going to help you raise the money, nii-chan," he whispered, tears threatening to spill from his eyes once again.

Naruto smacked the kid on the head. "You're such a crybaby. Now stop spilling unwanted tears and let's go! I may be out of commission for the time being, but Baa-chan didn't prevent me from accompanying my favorite student right?"

"Un!" Konohamaru nodded, and then the insult settled on his mind. "I'm not a crybaby!"

Naruto just laughed at that.

* * *

**Is not allayed by his heart-frozen cold **

Naruto glanced at the forlorn kid walking beside him and he felt angry at himself for getting in the mess that he should've avoided. He followed Konohamaru to the tower where Tsunade warned him not to enter until he was truly well and alive.

Konohamaru stopped. Naruto gazed at him quizzically. "What's the matter?" he can tell that the kid who idolized him so was having trouble coping up with the current situation. He never told him to help him in the first place, but he was happy at the thought of him helping a person with a demon sealed inside of him. And no matter how badly the villagers talked about him or how rude their actions were towards him, Konohamaru didn't think otherwise.

"Nothing, just…" Konohamaru drew off. "It's just that… I don't want you to die nii-chan,"

"I won't. Now go in there and I'll wait for you here, ok? Stop being such a drama queen,"

"Un!"

At that, the blonde just leaned on the wall beside the door of the Hokage's office, his mind still trying to find ways on how work without the Godaime Hokage knowing about it. _Stupid Neji. Stressing me where it would lead me to no good. _

Yes, he blamed the Hyuuga for being out of commission; yet, the words that he spoke to him last night struck him the most.

_Isn't redemption what you really want? _

He wanted redemption. Hell! He'd even kill if it would save him from his prison cell. But he didn't want Neji to know about him wanting to be saved. And he didn't want Neji to be the one to hand it to him.

He wanted Sasuke to be the one to save him.

Just like how he saved him from the darkness that almost consumed him before.

However, that was selfish of him. He told himself again and again that he shouldn't want anything in return. That he did it for Sasuke, not for his sake. That it was wrong of him to expect Sasuke to love him back just because he does. And it was unfair to Neji. If he wanted to hand to him in a silver platter the salvation he wanted, he should just probably accept, and be happy that someone cared enough to give it to him.

But still he hoped…

Just like how he hoped when he went after Sasuke; that the dark-haired boy would return to them… to him. He hoped that Sasuke valued the bonds they had built with each other and that he valued having people around who love him and looks up to him.

Bu hoping would not get him what he wanted, what he needed… And the situation at hand was different than the one he handled before.

He stared at the open road, cursing himself that he can't cross paths with it in the meantime… or maybe for the rest of his life if he wasn't careful.

He valued his life now that he had something to live for.

He steadied his vision, as he noticed that all he was seeing was blurs of colors, mingling together to form blobs that he couldn't care less about.

He closed his eyes, opened it and saw…

"Sasuke?"

* * *

**But that I burn much more in boiling sweat **

He didn't know what to say anymore.

He didn't know what to say to his best friend, or how to act. He didn't know what he felt for him at all.

And with the entrance of a certain red-haired nin from Hidden Sand, things were going out of hand.

It wasn't like he liked Gaara in the same way Gaara 'claims' that they were the same. And it also wasn't like that he was doing something major to stop the red-haired boy from advancing towards him, which added to his confusion about himself. _Advancing? You are out of your mind Uchiha. Since when did you accept guys advancing for you? _

Though deep inside himself, he knew it wasn't like what he usually thinks.

And he was angry. Angry at the thought that after Naruto told him what he felt, it was like he didn't say anything at all. That the things were the same and none of those words came out of his mouth.

That he was just lying.

He hated the people who lied to him.

Sasuke walked, heading for the Hokage's tower to meet with Gaara for the next mission they had. It was strange at first, when Tsunade suddenly told him that Gaara of the desert would work with him for the time being. And when he heard that Neji was to be the dobe's partner… he was more perplexed than ever.

And it didn't help that he opposed the Hokage's decision by shouting that he wouldn't accept such separations; which bothered him more than ever since he should just be fine with Naruto being separated from him. It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway.

It should've happened sooner than everybody thought, when he joined Sound in attempt to get more power from Orochimaru for him to eventually give his brother the taste of death. But it ended as rapidly as it came, when he encountered a certain annoying and persistent blonde youth, who pursued him and persuaded him to return to Konoha.

And he fought back, with the intensity of his anger being redirected at Naruto that ended up with him feeling guilty at almost killing the — probably— only guy that refused to give up on him no matter what.

And he should've known by then…

He should've seen by then…

He was too blinded by rage to even see that there are people whose standpoints were resting on his fists. He failed to see that in his hands, he was carrying the weight of the hopes and dreams of other people which was heavier than his anger for his brother.

And it was Naruto who brought back his eyes to witness the truth.

And what did he do in return? Walk away without any proper words to accompany what he means.

_What did I mean by walking away then? _He asked himself, adding yet another problem that remains unsolved. He continued on his way, realizing that he hadn't seen after Naruto who was offensively assailed by Gaara in the training grounds. And Naruto did not make any move to retaliate.

And it bothered him.

Last night…

Last night, he saw Naruto smiling at him, happy to see him, mouthing the words 'I'm home' for him to acknowledge that he's back. He wanted to spend some time with him and Sakura. And he wanted to. He had been waiting for the blonde to return to Konoha so he could talk to him. Until he saw Neji from behind, and all his convictions were blurred away by the sudden rush of resentment towards the Hyuuga, who didn't do anything to refuse being partnered with Naruto.

Last night…

Gaara led him away from Naruto… and he let himself be led away. Being fueled with an emotion he didn't quite know.

Last night…

He showed his aggression by venting it out to Gaara, furious with him for leading him away from the one he wanted to talk to, when he himself knows that he let the red-haired nin do what he wanted. And he still had the guts to tell Gaara that it was his fault, indirectly.

Sasuke bit his lower lip. He cannot understand his actions any longer, and he still kept his feet rooted on the ground, not wanting to make any move. He raised his head up, arrogant and over-confident. The only Sasuke he ever knew. The only Sasuke he ever trusted.

And as he entered the building, he noticed no one else but…

"Naruto,"

**And feel my flames augmented manifold **

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: The sentences in bold keys **(Fire and Ice)**, which you probably already guessed is an eight-versed poem were written by **Itsuki. **

Okay, I want to thank the following reviewers who really made my day, and of course, reply to them.

**Momochi Zabuza:** Wow, you reviewed channels 3-6… I guess that first two channels are really boring, maybe that's the reason why I only have few reviews… anyway, thanks for saying that my story deserves more reviews than the ones I already got. But I'm still thankful that I get some people to read this, at least. Even though only some reviews… and I hope it's clear why Naruto needs that money… and another thing… you really like a jealous Sasuke don't you?

**Jewelclaw lady of wind:** wow… another new name in my review list… -smiles- something good will happen? We'll see…

**Silent Victory:** woah, how in seven hells did I entertain you in the middle of English class? I must be missing something here…anyway, short? It was because I'm out of ideas… well… not really I just wanted to make it that way…

**Strawberries and Napkins:** hey… you're helpful… at some points… but your reviews give me life… all my reviewers' review give me life… so please don't get tired of this story!

**Bloodofakiller:** we'll see what pairings this will end up with… but you gave me a great idea… believe it or not… thanks!

**Ly:** I know that Gaara is confusing… it's hard to write about him without being OOC so I don't put him out much…

**CatC10:** hey… thanks a lot for your compliment and for adding me to your author alert list… you see… I've been writing mostly angst stuff, cause I don't have a sense of humor… heh, it's just that, I like writing angst…

**Kurisuteru-chan:** Woah… another new name in my review list… heh, thanks for your compliment regarding the entries in the journal… actually, I was hesitant about the journal thing since I already read far too many stories using that plot… but… I needed it! So… yup… that's about it…

**Uzamaki Liliana:** you'll know what pairings it will be if you continue reading this!

**One last thing… how many of you thought that the person who caught Naruto out in the street was Sasuke? Come on! Be honest!**

Review?


	8. Eight Channel: Eye Opener

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk**

Standard disclaimers applied.

* * *

_The fate of the dove is to fly_

_It flies to its nest on the knoll_

_The gate of love is the eye_

_The price of its quest; the soul _

_-Urda poetry _

**Eighth Channel: Eye-Opener**

Konohamaru bowed in reverence to the Hokage of the Fire country, something that he never did before. Tsunade eyed him with shocked mingled with intense curiosity, as the grandson of the former Hokage prostrate himself before her, with intention he wished to be fulfilled in his rare visit.

"Stand up, Konohamaru," she ordered at once, her firm voice sounding through the entire room, moderately loud, to show her dominance. "What is it you want?" she asked the standing kid, expecting a loud, high-pitched voice that almost seemed alike with the ones Naruto had when he was at the same age as him.

"I only want a mission, Hokage-sama," he started saying, in a low voice he did not actually use. "I know I am not in the position to ask for any without my jounin teacher and my two other teammates, but I do hope you'll tolerate me doing numerous class-D missions in the meantime, alone or not," he said in his most polite voice, his intentions crystal clear to the Hokage, who pondered over the thought for a few minutes.

Konohamaru watched her as she mulled over the request, search through the pile of stocked papers awaiting their chance to be read, before she gave him her answer. "Alright, kid. I know you won't stop bothering me unless I give in," she told him, and his face lit up. "I can only give you several class-D missions, all of which are mostly errands around town. I know that you're trying to help Naruto and I'm proud of your concern for him, but I don't like you getting all worked up and later getting into trouble or getting sick, because I won't heal you, get that?"

Konohamaru caught the scroll in mid-air and jumped towards the table and hugged Tsunade. This action caused the stack of papers to scatter to the floor. "Arigato!" he said in glee, not minding the mess he made, and then bolted out the door.

"Damn that kid, look at the mess he made," Tsunade muttered under her breath with a smile.

* * *

"Naruto," Sasuke acknowledged as he saw the blonde boy leaning on the walls of the tower.

"Sasuke," the blonde youth acknowledged back, and then started walking to the raven-haired boy. "Hey! Whatcha doin' here?" he casually asked, wearing the same grin he had way back then.

"Mission," Sasuke simply replied, walking to meet him. He stopped in front of the grinning kid, stared at him for a moment, as if mulling over something, and then proceeded to walk past him.

A hand gripped his wrist. "Wait," Naruto whispered, his voice sounding strained. "I… uh… want to talk to you, if you… want," the blonde kid was hesitant, no more wearing the same bright grin he used to greet the Uchiha. It was replaced with another, a lopsided kind-of smile, not really certain if it was a frown or a grin. Sasuke obliged.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked in his usual monotone voice, suppressing himself to ask the questions he wanted to since the night before.

"Gaara and you… I mean… you two… are getting kind of… close?" it was an uncertain sentence, not quite sure whether it was a declarative one or an interrogative one.

"Not really," even though the dark-eyed boy's answer was vague, it was an admission to Naruto. He knew that with questions like the one he asked, Sasuke usually answered with a yes or a no, not a 'not really', which made his eyes drop to the ground in loss.

In the meanwhile, Sasuke was struggling with himself, aspiring to ask himself, but he was being held back by his mind. He just stared at the blonde boy with indifference in his eyes. It made things more difficult, especially when he was lying to himself.

Naruto raised his head again to meet Sasuke's eyes, his own blue glazing over with suppressed tears which was gone unnoticed by the Uchiha. "So… I guess, I'm… too late," he said, a finality he did not want to confess. His attitude told him to remain adamant with his emotions, but the silent admission that he never heard from those lips he longed to kiss held a greater impact on him. "Can I at least… hug you?" it was plea, it was heard from his expression, though trying to remain collected.

Sasuke did not make a move, nor answered back, so Naruto accepted it as a yes, his wiry arms wounding around the other boy's body in slow, tentative movements, while Sasuke kept his original position, his arms on his sides. Naruto rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder, burying his face on the pale boy's neck. Sasuke moved his head to the side, encountering a mop of golden locks upon his face which smelled like the sun, vibrant and vivid like the sound of a calming breeze. Swirls of different emotions pulsated through them, and Sasuke mistook it as one created in the spur of the moment, even with his face turned into a dark shade of red.

It stayed like that for minutes that seemed a whole lot more for the both of them. Naruto lifted his head and stopped when he was in line with Sasuke's ear. "I may be too late," the blue-eyed boy started to whisper oh-so gently; it sent shivers up Sasuke's spine. "But I want to be the place you return to, Sasuke. I will always be waiting. Do you remember when I said 'I'm home'?" Naruto removed his arms from Sasuke's waist, and took a step backward. "With you is the only place I can call home," he finished, a sad smile dawning on his features. "Thanks for humoring me with the hug, Sasuke. It really felt good,"

Sasuke's eyes just widened, but Naruto was not aware of it. As the blonde passed him, his eyes stayed the same, shocked and somewhat poignant, the revelation of his former teammate nailed in his mind.

_I want to be the place you return to. I will always be waiting. Do you remember when I said 'I'm home'? _

The dark-haired boy closed his eyes and his head bowed in helplessness with knowing that he did not have enough courage to make out what he really felt.

For Naruto.

And although he was also not certain of what he felt for the red-haired nin from Sand, Gaara was far from his mind at the moment.

_With you is the only place I can call home._

_

* * *

_

Neji quickly ducked behind the nearby tree as he saw Sasuke and Naruto sauntering towards each other like they have magnets on their bodies and he smacked himself, advising himself that he didn't need to hide from them. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he stood in his place, his head peeking out from the huge trunk and he watched their movements, thinking of what they might be talking about.

There was someone in his mind that told him to go out there and divert Naruto's attention away from Sasuke, or interrupt their little 'talk'. While his rational mind warned him not to, reminding him that Naruto might still be mad at him for reading his journal. He chose to follow his rational side. He didn't want the blonde boy avoiding him. It made him… distressed. And he knew the reason why.

He continued to observe at a distance, and when he saw the sad look that settled on the blonde's face, he wanted to pummel Sasuke to the ground, hating him for making Naruto feel the anguish that should've been happiness instead.

And what blew his mind over, was when Naruto went to hug the Uchiha, and Sasuke did not make any move to break the skin contact.

All kinds of impression stirred through his body, including envy and petty jealousy and moreover, anger towards the dark-haired boy. He was aware that the pale boy did not reciprocate the feelings of Naruto or maybe he was still mixed up with himself to know and understand what he felt, but with that simple hug he consented, it was like he was giving Naruto the false hope of having his feelings returned.

He didn't notice the side of the trunk being smashed, as his rage boiled inside him.

Neji stepped back and stalked the other way, not minding whether he gave Naruto back the notebook or not. He just didn't work out the reason why the blonde still continues to throw himself at Sasuke's feet, revealing his emotions for him when he knows that he would just be refused in the end. And it was not Naruto's attitude to show his weakness to someone, particularly to his arch rival. _Why is it? Why is it that Naruto can't see how much I care for him?_ He asked himself, but then he would just answer his question back.

_It's because I'm not selfish. I don't want to be selfish. As long as Naruto is happy, then I'm happy as well. _

He slowed down, glancing at his surroundings only to find out that he was nearing the training grounds inside the forest.

He saw Gaara.

The Sand nin was walking at his direction, his arms crossed in front of his chest, the look in his eyes as fearsome as before. But Neji did not feel fear, for he was capable taking care of himself.

Gaara stopped when he was five foot away at Neji, his lips curling up into a wicked smile. "Still do not have Uzumaki? That's pathetic of you Hyuuga. I thought that you would've swept that Kyuubi vessel off his feet by now and you two have lived happily ever after," he was taunting the pale-eyes boy, it was evident in his tone, but Neji did not mind. "I guess that even you can't win over a simple-minded guy like Naruto,"

"How about you? It's not as if you have Uchiha around your arms now, isn't it?" he retorted, his voice firm and resolute like his convictions.

"That's where you're wrong. You may not notice it, but Sasuke will soon be _mine_," Gaara's eyes glinted with desire and possession, a contrast to that of Neji's that was filled with concern and unadulterated love for the golden haired youth.

A sincere smile appeared on the soft but unyielding contours of Neji's face, and then it returned to its passive one again. "I'm not like you, Gaara. Your kind of love for Uchiha thrives on possessiveness only while mine does not. As long as I can see to it that Naruto would be happy, I would be happy as well and that's good enough for me. I'm not as selfish as you are or Uchiha,"

Gaara frowned at the comment, not expecting Neji to say those words. But he didn't care, he had his own ways. "You won't have Uzumaki that way," he informed him, his monotone voice not exposing any kind of emotion.

"I don't care," was what the Hyuuga answered him. And it was the truth.

Gaara did not trouble himself to reply, only passing by him like the strangers they were.

* * *

"So… Naruto-nii, you like Sasuke, huh?" at the question, Naruto looked down at Konohamaru at disguised shock, but his jaw still showed his astonishment at the kid for knowing this fact.

"W-what?" the blonde stuttered.

Konohamaru grinned at Naruto. "Saw yah two hugging outside the Hokage's room," he informed him. "He likes yah too?"

Naruto shook his head, sadness again overcoming his bright features. "No," he told the kid, and saw him silencing and then looking up at him again.

"Don't think about him, Naruto-nii. He's stupid not to like you," the kid enlightened him, giving him a very bright smile with a little of naughtiness dabbed in it. "He won't be happy when he comes to know his loss," he added, slapping Naruto on his back, and then skipped ahead. "The first item was lost near the training grounds Naruto-nii! We're going there first!" he bellowed as Naruto composed himself and followed the hyperactive kid that took after him.

As they neared the training grounds, Naruto felt a chakra signature that was all too familiar. He looked around and saw Konohamaru starting his mission and he signaled him that he would just walk up ahead. The kid pouted at first, saying that he can't leave him behind. But Naruto assured him and promised him to be back after a few minutes. Konohamaru sighed in defeat. He couldn't just say no to Naruto!

The chakra he felt was getting stronger and it signaled him that he was getting nearer. He jumped up the tree and camouflaged himself in the thick foliage of the leaves. He peered at the ground and saw Neji and Gaara, talking. He moved nearer, wanting to hear their conversation.

"Still do not have Uzumaki? That's pathetic of you Hyuuga. I thought that you would've swept that Kyuubi vessel off his feet by now and you two have lived happily ever after. I guess that even you can't win over a simple-minded guy like Naruto," he heard the red-haired ninja say and he sat slowly, puzzled at the meaning of Gaara's words.

"How about you? It's not as if you have Uchiha around your arms now, isn't it?" it was Neji's voice, he noted. Naruto's heart skipped a beat when he took notice that he was not entirely late to have the dark-haired shounen.

But as soon as heard Gaara's reply, his world once again shattered. "That's where you're wrong. You may not notice it, but Sasuke will soon be _mine_," it was domineering, a tone he never got to use around Sasuke.

"I'm not like you, Gaara. Your kind of love for Uchiha thrives on possessiveness only while mine does not. As long as I can see to it that Naruto would be happy, I would be happy as well and that's good enough for me. I'm not as selfish as you are or Uchiha," another admission, and this time, it was directed at him. _I don't get it… why would he..? _He asked no one but to himself, his mind traveling once again to their conversation the night before, where he said words that would've hurt the Hyuuga.

"You won't have Uzumaki that way,"

"I don't care,"

Naruto felt guilty and simultaneously, he was at point blank. He did not know what to do or act around Neji any longer. Whether he should talk about it with the pale-eyed jounin or let it pass without as much as one comment. Then again, he can't just go to him proclaiming that he accepts Neji's love for him because it will all be just a lie, and it wouldn't do Neji any good. It would only hurt him. And he didn't like hurting other people.

The golden-haired youth stealthily returned to where Konohamaru was, oblivious to his surroundings. He did not notice five other jounins going his way.

"Watch it!" at the shout, Naruto's head shot up and then returned to the ground, seeing a fellow jounin he was not acquainted with.

"Gomen," Naruto muttered, bowing his head, and then proceeded walking away. He would've gone on his way if another jounin did not block his way. "Excuse me," Naruto said, getting annoyed at them. He already said his sorry, why are they being so hard?

"I'm afraid we can't just forgive you," he man said. Clearly, he was older than Naruto was, and probably included with the list of the people who hated him. "You have to pay for your insolence," Yep, he was right.

The five of them circled him but his guard remained down. "Why can't we just let it pass like the good ninjas we are?" he asked and at the corner of his eye he can see that Konohamaru was watching him with worry in his eyes. "I already said sorry! What is your problem?"

A chuckle from yet another one he didn't know. "The matter is that you're a demon, boy. And we don't need you here,"

"Yeah, I've been waiting for the right moment to get back at you. Did you know that my sister was killed because of you?" another quipped in.

_Because of the demon IN me, idiot._ He countered in his mind, but he didn't make any effort to voice it out. He needed to get out of this mess, but seeing as they won't let him, he heightened his senses to aware him if ever they would try to attack.

"Naruto-nii!" he heard Konohamaru shout. He was running towards them, knowing that he wouldn't stand a chance against them, but still wanting to give it a try.

"Don't come any nearer!" Naruto shouted back and the kid stopped, fear apparent in his eyes. "I'll handle this. You better just go back to the village!" he ordered Konohamaru, but Konohamaru shook his head. "Go back now!" he told him once again.

"Aww… why don't you let him stay? Don't you want him seeing you getting beat into a bloody pulp?" the jounin he knocked down maliciously said, licking his lips. Naruto cringed, but kept his cool, grinning at them with his arrogant look.

"The one who be beaten into a bloody pulp will be all of you!"

"Why you!" and then they charged. Naruto ducked in the precise moment a fist tried to connect with his face. Naruto then gave the same person a body blow, knocking the wind out of him. He then whirled and did a roundhouse kick to the one behind him and the jounin fell back. He noticed the three others throwing several kunai and shurikens so he jumped up and did a back roll in mid-air, and then landed a good ten feet away from them.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted them, and at that he cursed as he remembered. He wasn't supposed to be fighting with his condition!

Konohamaru also sensed this, and he knew that Naruto would have trouble fighting with five jounins. Not knowing what else to do, he scrambled and ran as fast as he could back to the village to tell the Hokage. He was too preoccupied at only getting to the tower that he did not notice someone in front of him.

They collided.

Konohamaru fell to the ground with a loud 'thud'. "Itai…" he was rubbing his ass which took his fall. He noticed a hand in front of him. He looked up.

Hyuuga Neji.

Konohamaru's eyes lit up. He saw his rescuer! The kid did not mind to take the hand which was supposedly there to help him stand up. Instead, he tugged on the pale-eyed boy's long sleeves, with panic in his eyes. "Neji-nii! Please, you've got to help me!"

Neji removed Konohamaru's hand from his sleeve, noting the tremble the fingers of the kid had. "Why? What's wrong?" he queried, his eyes still not changing from their passiveness.

"It's Naruto-nii he--"

At the mention of the blonde's name, Neji immediately jerked Konohamaru's arm. "Why? What happened to him?" his eyes darkened dangerously, as his mind repeatedly said that he would kill anyone who dared hurt Naruto.

"Jounins… five of them… ganging up against Naruto-nii," he finished, running out of breath. "You have to come now! Or else… or else…" the kid was unable to continue, and Neji stood frozen, anticipating the kid's next words.

"Or else?" he encouraged him to finish the started sentence.

"Or else… he'll die!"

Neji was puzzled. "Die? What do you mean by that? Five jounins won't matter much to Naruto. He's stronger than most of us,"

Even with those should be calming words, Konohamaru was still frantic, his eyes flowing with a knowledge of something important he did not know. "You don't understand! He'll die!" he insisted, and his arm was pulled towards the direction of the fight. He decided to follow the kid, his mind still claiming that there was nothing to worry about if Naruto was only fighting five jounins.

_You don't understand! He'll die! _The last sentence of Konohamaru struck him down and worry began to fill his entire soul. He pulled his arm free of the kid and ran. Konohamaru took the hint and hurried to catch up.

As the clearing came into view, he saw Naruto punching the last guy standing square in the face and the said jounin flew and hit a large tree trunk.

Naruto's eyes flickered with something his mind can't register. "Why did you bring Neji here for Konohamaru? I told you I'll be just fine," he shouted from where he was standing, he was panting, breaths coming in small amounts.

Neji faced Konohamaru. "I told you he'll be just fine," he told the kid, wanting him to admit that his suspicions of Naruto dying were wrong.

And as Konohamaru opened his mouth, he thought that it was a reply.

But he was wrong.

Dead wrong.

"NARUTO-NII!" Konohamaru screamed, his eyes narrowing with dread as he stumbled through the broken bodies of the other jounins and made his way to Naruto. As soon as he heard the hysterical scream, he stood frozen in his position, afraid to turn around and see what happened.

But his body defied him, and his head slowly turned 180 degrees, to where Naruto was supposed to be standing.

_Naruto, Naruto… No, Naruto…_ his mouth was not functioning, and his body seemed to have a mind of his own, as he saw himself nearing the blonde youth, who was sprawled unto the ground, Konohamaru by his side, heaving deep, painful breaths, clutching his chest. _NO! _His mind shouted, and he came back to reality. He examined Naruto's body for any sign of wound that might have been fatal. But there was none; only various cuts and bruises that was not supposed to kill. _But why is he breathing like this? _

Konohamaru's voice broke his thoughts. "We need to get him to Tsunade-sama," he informed the pale Hyuuga, trying to carry Naruto's body behind him, but found that he was too heavy. At this, Neji gathered the lifted body and asked. "Why? What's wrong with him?"

The kid glared at him. "Don't ask now! We have to get him to Tsunade-sama!"

The both of them ran. Ran the fastest they could both muster, the wind rushing through their ears and their surroundings all but a blur, and they separated at some point, Konohamaru headed to the direction of the Hokage's tower while Neji took the still panting boy to the hospital.

The moment Konohamaru entered the tower, he ignored the yells of the people he bumped into and the reprimands of several chuunins and jounins in the area. He was close to the Hokage's door… so close…

* * *

A sudden burst and bang of the door snapped Tsunade's head to stare at the door. Before the sudden intrusion, she had been briefing both Sasuke and Gaara for their next mission, a rather important one, and it was her wish not to be disturbed. She was thankful at least, that she had already finished, and instantaneously, she ushered the two jounins out.

At the click of the door being shut, Tsunade glared at the still panting kid. "What do you want now?" she demanded. Konohamaru's eyes looked up and somehow, she wished, again, that she hadn't asked.

"It's Naruto-nii he's…"

"What!" Without further delay, she shout up from her sitting position and rushed out the room, the kid trailing behind her. _Hold on. Just hold on._

_I'll save you. _

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N:

Thanks a lot for my reviewers! I really love you guys for all your support!

**Strawberries and Napkins, Bloodofakiller,** **Kisu,** **Tins,** **Sentai, Momochi Zabuza, CatC10, Death's Hand, Princess Kitana, Quaebah24, Silent Victory  
**

Minna… review?


	9. Ninth Channel: Incapacitated

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

_Perhaps another future await_

_In a distant place is a new prelude_

_Though I am anything now but complete_

_Only ruptured memories no one can satiate_

_This will be the start of my vicissitude_

_Relieving the scars of these satirical conflicts_

**Ninth Channel: Incapacitated **

Iruka ran out of his class, not minding the students he was teaching, the moment he saw Konohamaru burst through his door. Together, they ran back to the hospital, towards the operating room, where they saw the long-haired Hyuuga pacing in front of the emergency room. Neji's arms were crossed one moment, and then when they glance up at him, his arms were at his side. Iruka sat on the bench nearby, his body hunched and his fingers tightly clamped together.

He was praying.

Thousands of unwanted images coursed through their minds, many of which they did not want to come true, but the incessant display of the unavoidable kept their hearts and mind on alert, readying them if the worst results.

Konohamaru plopped down the empty space beside Iruka, and then stood up again, mimicking the pacing done by Neji.

After four hours, Tsunade and several other doctors were still inside the operating room. Neji was getting impatient. "What the hell is going on in there!" The pale-eyed boy half asked, half demanded to the only people with him. "They should've finished by now. Is there something wrong with Naruto?" he turned to the two, requesting his question to be answered with nothing but the truth.

He was met with silence, and Neji didn't want to be left out with things that concerns Naruto. "ANSWER ME!" he shouted, and he earned some reprimands from other nurses walking about the area, but he ignored them. He took Iruka's collar and hoisted him up, his eyes flashing red. But Iruka remained still remained silent, his eyes closed to avoid looking at the angry jounin.

Neji threw his former teacher back to the bench. "Why won't you answer me?" he asked quietly, his fears rising.

"Neji-nii," Konohamaru started to say. He, too, had his eyes closed, his face straining with anxiety. A kind of emotion that shouldn't be seen on a kid his age. "Naruto-nii has a heart problem,"

"W-what?"

"A blood clot is blocking one of the arteries of his heart, and blood isn't pumping throughout his body the way it's supposed to,"

"Uso…"

"If Tsunade-sama fails to remove it or is too late, then he'll…" Konohamaru paused, his mouth not wanting to state word he dreaded to most. "…die," he finished, choking on the words that fell out his lips.

"Uso…" Neji told him, his shoulders dropping and his head hanging with it. He was shaking his head sideways, not believing a word the kid just said.

"It's true, Neji-nii,"

"USO! YOU'RE LYING!" he shouted, pushing the kid up against the wall. Konohamaru was taken by surprise and struggled to be released from the grip that held him up. Iruka stood up and tried to prevent the Hyuuga from doing something he would regret, holding his arm the moment he raised it up. Neji swung his arm and it threw Iruka off his back. He raised it again, and Konohamaru, thinking that he was going to be hurt, just closed his eyes and waited for the painful contact to happen.

Neji brought his fist down. His blow hit the wall, a few centimeters away from Konohamaru's face. Slowly, he released his grip of the genin, his arms hanging limp at his side. He stared at the floor for what seemed a lifetime, and then he bolted out the hospital, Iruka and Konohamaru watching his retreating figure.

Six more grueling hours of waiting has passed before the click of the door resounded through the quiet hallways of the local hospital of Konoha. Two heads snapped up in response as Tsunade's figure exited the door and five more doctors and three nurses followed her out. The Hokage's expression was mixed with relief and dismay, but the two decided to take in their minds the look of relief that somehow shadowed the look of dismay.

"He's alright," she told them, and a tired grunt escaped her lips as she sat down. "That brat put up quite a fight. He managed to hold on until the last minute,"

Iruka smiled, relief washing over him in tidal waves. Konohamaru on the other hand, chose the rather loud approach. He jumped up and down, shouting 'he's alive!' and 'Tsunade you're the greatest!' repeatedly until both Iruka and Tsunade got tired of him, little veins popping out of nowhere, and they hit him on the head at the same time, shutting him down completely.

Tsunade rubbed her forehead in attempt to give herself her own massage. "Iruka," she called out to the man now seated beside her. "Look after him, okay?"

Brown eyes glanced at him in confusion. "Of course I will. I always do. But why are you suddenly telling me that?" he queried.

"When the blood stopped pumping through the entire body of Naruto, the flow of nutritive fluids and the delivery of oxygen to other parts of the body stopped as well. Waste materials were left in the blood including carbon dioxide. Knowing that he isn't the type to eat other foods except ramen, his body severely lacked enough ascorbic acid and pyridoxine which should've strengthened his blood vessels for formation of connective tissues and amino acid metabolism. His muscles on the appendicular division…" Iruka lost her somewhere, his head circling through the first few words to understand what she means. He was getting frustrated and right now, he'd rather she tell him exactly what she means.

And he told her what he'd rather do. "Would you just _please_ tell me what you mean!" he pleaded her, and she stopped her yakking almost immediately. "I know that you want to explain things, Tsunade-sama, but just tell me,"

Tsuande took a deep breath and exhaled it afterwards, as if gathering strength. "Naruto's legs got paralyzed,"

* * *

Azure eyes opened, sluggish as he adjusted to his new surroundings. His eyes wavered as he tried to recall the past events that took place before his deep sleep. _Oh yeah, that's right. _He thought, as vacant images raced through his head. _I'm alive. _He raised his left hand over his face and stared at it as he moved it back and forth. He dropped it as he felt the need to sit up. Putting both hands on either side of the soft bed, he pushed his body up, and tried to get his legs to help him up.

_What the—_his gaze fell unto his unmoving legs. _Move. Damn it, move! _He commanded, his stare weighing on two long tanned legs that still wouldn't move whatever he tried to do. _Why the fuck won't it move? _His mind screamed.

He panicked. And as he did he accidentally knocked over the empty vase and it crashed fragments of glass flying in different directions. "MOVE! DAMN IT, MOVE!" he shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the hospital. "MOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVEMOVE!" He chanted, his voice growing louder and louder by every passing moment. His upper body edging as he moved inch by inch unconsciously. "WHY IS IT THAT MY LEGS JUST WON'T MOVE?" All of sudden, he fell on the floor, sharp pieces of broken glass piercing his body as it made contact. "Why is it that I can't feel anything?" he asked to anyone who can hear him.

But no one answered.

The door opened and Shizune came rushing forward him. He gazed at her with clear, translucent blue eyes, his emotions like an open book that could be read by anyone. "Why can't I move my legs?" he asked her, his face all scrunched up and fragile, the light from the window casting shadows over his body, making him look more vulnerable than what he already is.

And it broke Shizune's heart to be the one who will break the news to him. "Your legs got paralyzed, Naruto-kun but--,"

"NO! STOP TALKING!" he cried out, his palms covering both his ears to avoid hearing anything else. It was enough. To know that he won't be able to walk again was enough. He did not want to hear any more. No more.

"No, listen Naruto," Shizune said, calmly trying to take the blonde's hands away from his ears for him to hear her. "Naruto!" she tried calling out to him again, but her strength was no match for him. His hands were firmly covering his ears. "NARUTO!" she shouted, knowing that the sound of her voice would reach him somehow.

"NO!" he pushed her aside, his hand reaching to pick up a big piece of broken glass. He lifted the hand holding the sharp object. "LET ME DIE! I WANT TO DIE!" Shizune's eyes widened and her muscles contracted to prepare herself for a battle to let Naruto live.

"Stop! Don't do it!" she held his arms and gripped it tightly before it came in contact with his body. At the precise moment, Iruka came barging in the room, trying to calm the blonde boy down.

"What are you trying to do Naruto?" he took the glass roughly from Naruto's hand and it cut through his palm, but he ignored the pain. The blue-eyed jounin still continued his struggle against them. Doctors started coming in the door one by one, and they all held him down as one nurse started injecting him a dose of sedative.

Naruto's eyes shot in pain as he felt the needle puncture his body and he closed his eyes, tears welling up as his energy suddenly was drained. His flailing halted and Iruka took the liberty to tuck him in the single hospital bed. Blue eyes hazed with sadness and failure met with brown ones which harbored the same emotion before he fell into slumber.

Shizune, who got up and went out the room, re-entered the room holding a few rolls of bandages. She took Naruto's arm and began bandaging his new wounds. Her eyes were downcast like Iruka's. "He couldn't take it," she told him.

"It was too much, even for him," he replied and both of them fell silent, missing the laughter that should've been heard throughout the village, instead of the stillness and coldness of the morning breeze.

* * *

Azure eyes started opening once again, though this time, reality bit him hard. He was paralyzed. Handicapped. He was useless. He wanted to kill himself and end his pitiful life, but found out that he didn't have any strength to lift a finger on the white bed sheets. His moved his head at his side as he saw from the corner of his eye someone moving.

It was Iruka.

His teacher was peeling a bunch of different fruits, this time it was an orange. The same color his clothes had. Naruto's eyes glanced at the side table and saw three apples peeled and cut, a mango cut in three and an orange previously peeled. He chuckled. "How are you going to eat all of that?" he asked, and Iruka just stared at him as if he hadn't heard anything.

"Well?" the blonde kid tried again, wishing that he could move somehow so he could snap his fingers to wake Iruka up.

Iruka blinked and the blonde's question sank in his head. "Baka. You're the one who's going to eat all of that," he replied, giving a small smile. "Please don't try to kill yourself again," he begged the immobile boy.

"I won't," Naruto told him. "Do you think I can eat ramen?" he continued and grinned, trying to bring back yesterday.

"No,"

"Come on… please?" Naruto activated his puppy eyes and pout look and Iruka turned away, not wanting to fall for his obvious trick.

"No. You need to eat nutritious foods, Naruto,"

"Hai, hai," he gave up, knowing that he would not win against his mentor.

Iruka looked at Naruto as he finished peeling the orange. "Physical therapy,"

Naruto looked at him quizzically, as if an alien just spoke. "What?"

"Physical therapy," Iruka repeated. "If you do that, you can still be able to walk,"

"Honto?"

"Honto,"

Blue eyes showed hope that was lost a few hours ago. "Yokatta," he said, finally. "By the way, Iruka-sensei,"

"Hmm?"

"Did you pay for my bills or did you rally up the money i had and just added the missing amount?" Naruto asked. He knew that Iruka was trying to get money to help him for the operation, just like what Konohamaru was trying to do.

"No, somebody else paid for it,"

"Then who did?"

Iruka propped a piece of apply into his mouth and Naruto eyed him a look that said 'that's mine'. He chewed, swallowing up before answering the blonde boy. He always did have manners. "It was Neji," he informed him.

"Neji?"

"Yes. Neji," he assured Naruto that it was indeed the Hyuuga whom he said.

Naruto remembered his conversation with Neji the night when he lost his notebook. He was furious at the moment, at Neji for sneaking at other people's business, and at himself, that he did not value his life just as long as he could get the money he needed.

If he could bite his lip, he would've, cursing that he even told Neji that he was willing to sell himself for money. Not that he'd take it back, though. At that moment, he was really willing to sell himself. It just didn't occur to him that Neji would actually be too serious as to give him the money. _I guess, I probably be thanking you then. _He thought, aiming to send the telepathic message to the pale-eyed boy.

"Sou ka," he finally answered after a while.

"The sedative will wear off in a few hours, so just hang in there,"

"Okay," Naruto closed his weary eyes and wanted to return to dreamland, but his eyes won't let him. It occurred to him that he wanted to say something else. "Iruka-nii," he started again. "Aside from you, Konohamaru, Neji, Tsunade-baabaa and Shizune-san, no one else knows about this, right?"

"Well, if you count out the doctors who helped perform the surgery, you're right,"

"So…" Naruto trailed off, his mind begging for Iruka to grant him the one wish he will ask. "Please don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"How can you possibly hide something like this?"

"I'll find a way," Naruto told him. "I'll always find a way,"

* * *

News spread out like wild fire and one by one, all the people who graduated with him years ago in the ninja academy filed in his room. First, it was Sakura who came. He didn't expect her to be the one who visits him first, aside from Iruka and Konohamaru, but he figured that she might have heard it before the others did since she was Tsunade's apprentice. Then Kiba came. The dog-boy seemed to enjoy watching the blonde lie on the bed the whole day, taunting him with stuff like 'you let a couple of jounins beat you up so bad?' and 'I thought you were strong!' but before he said anything else or threaten him, Sakura and Ino put him into deep sleep with Akamaru running on top of his head.

It's not like Naruto was affected by Kiba's annoying teasing. It was just that it was hard to take all of them, especially since they weren't true. He wasn't beaten and he was strong. But if he did say those words, he'd have to explain why he was the one lying on the hospital instead of those jounins.

Shikamaru and Chouji burst in after the fourth day. They just came back from their mission and they went to see him after they reported to the Hokage.

"Oi, what are you doing still lying down there? I've known you for years and you're not the type of person who will let himself lie here and watch the day go by," Shikamaru took a chair and poised it beside Naruto's bed. "And why are you lying still there? I'd figured your wounds would've healed by then and you'd be strong enough to jump around," Chouji just nodded as he continued eating his bag of chips.

It was hard on the blonde shinobi to answer Shikamaru's question, especially since 'lazy-eyed boy' was the type that analyzes your answers before accepting it. And the fact that the blonde was a very bad liar added to his discomfort.

He decided to tell a portion of the truth, but he remained the whole of it hidden. "Uh… you see…" he was thankful that the nurses still inject him with sedatives, so he could not scratch his head at the moment. If Shikamaru knew one thing about him, it was that when he scratched his head, he was clearly hiding something. "The doctors said I shouldn't move around much. I told them I wouldn't, but they didn't believe me, so they always inject this… whatchamacallit?" he paused, not able to remember the name of the fluid they always put in the injections.

Shikamaru sighed. "Sedative?" he suggested and Naruto mumbled a thanks. "It's always been like you not to follow orders, Naruto,"

"Heh, damn right! That is me after all!"

After two hours, they left, at the same time Hinata entered his room. He smiled at the female Hyuuga and she looked down, bowing to both Shikamaru and Chouji, bidding goodbye. She noticed that the chair Shikamaru sat on was still on the same position he left it, she turned the chair around and sat on it. "T-this i-is for y-you, N-Na-Naruto-k-kun," she told him as she showed the bag filled with fruits in it.

Naruto smiled at her and she reddened. "Arigato,"

Hinata went to peel an apple. "A-are y-you al-alright?" she asked him, and she silently berated herself for being so damned obvious. Of course, to everyone else except Naruto. The blonde boy asked her if she could help him sit up and she happily obliged, supporting his back and re-arranging his pillows for him to be comfortable.

"Thanks. I'm fine, actually. That Tsunade-baabaa just didn't want me running around so she gave me those drugs that lessened my activities, heh," he informed her, thinking that it was best if he told them the same excuses so there would not be any problems I the near future, his eyes soft and thankful as she handed him a piece she just finished peeling. Seeing as the blonde couldn't exactly move any part of his body yet, she held the apple near his mouth as Naruto opened it and took the piece in. "This is good Hinata-chan," he said once he swallowed it. He asked for some more and Hinata gave it to him, blushing mildly as she spoon-fed him.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Hinata-chan," blue eyes settled in looking at the window outside and Hinata got up to clean the dirty dish.

"I-it's n-nothing. I-I wasn't doing a-anything any…anyway," she replied, returning to sit down. The blonde turned to look at her, his grin replaced with an unknowing look.

It made her feel cold. "A-are you s-sure you're f-fine?" she asked again, her pale eyes full of concern for the shinobi who had always inspired her.

"Aa,"

It was only after the fifth day that Neji went to drop in on Naruto. The day he left the building, he hadn't planned on coming back. He blamed himself for coming too late to save the blonde. If only he just went to where he his, if only he didn't ask questions—those meaningless questions—if only he believed Konohamaru… a thousand ifs came to his mind and he blamed himself for the condition Naruto's in.

The instance he was told by the genin that Naruto got paralyzed, he stood frozen and he held himself accountable for the loss Naruto got. He didn't go out of his house for the days he wasn't seen. He just kept on thinking about what he had done wrong.

It wasn't his fault. But he didn't know that.

But he did know he had to strong. If not for him, then for Naruto.

On the fifth day of seclusion, he opted to just visit Naruto and tell him that he's sorry. And now he was there, standing outside Naruto's room, working up the courage to face him.

He quietly took the knob on his hand and was surprised to see it unlocked and opened. He stared in the white room and saw Naruto lying on the bed, covered with white sheets. It registered in his mind that he was asleep and told himself that he would just come back later when he awoke.

He took the knob again, in an attempt to close the door when a voice stopped him. "Come in Neji," a low voice called and he entered, standing beside the bed.

Blue eyes opened and smiled at him. He felt guilty as he saw the state Naruto was in.

The blonde saw Neji staring at him, his face pale, and he blinked. "Nanda? You look like you've seen a ghost," Naruto chuckled at his self-made joke and expected the Hyuuga to at least give a little smile. However, he saw Neji frown even more.

"I'm sorry,"

Naruto blinked at him even more. "Sorry for what?" he queried, confused to why Neji was apologizing to him. "For this?" he added and Neji nodded his head slightly. Naruto chuckled. "I'm not really immobile, Neji. It's just that they give me sedatives to keep me calm,"

"That's not it!" Neji's clear, loud voice cut through. "That's… that's not what I meant," he whispered, growing silent every passing second.

Blue eyes fell silent. "Is it… is it my legs?"

The male Hyuuga reached out for Naruto's hand under the covers and clasp it tightly. Naruto couldn't exactly see the Neji's expression for his head was bowed down, forehead resting on the back of the blonde's palm. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Don't be,"

Pale-eyes that were usually stoic and cold were now guilty and fogged with disappointment. "But why? What happened was my fault. If only I--"

"It wasn't your fault so stop blaming yourself. I can still be able to walk. I just need to practice on it and get physical therapy," Naruto's voice was steady but faint and Neji stopped, still gripping the blonde's hand like he was afraid to let go or he'll be lost from him. "Help me up, Neji," Naruto said as he tried to adjust from his lying state.

Neji let go of him and assisted Naruto so he could be on a sitting position. "Argh, if only they'll stop giving me those damned things so I could at least sit on my own!" he ranted, trying to give life to their conversation.

To no avail, Neji was still silent.

It went on like this and it felt like someone died. The long-haired boy held Naruto's calloused hands for the second time when he finished assisting the blonde, and Naruto allowed it, feeling somewhat secure.

It was his lifeline, his proof that he was still alive.

Although he strongly craved that it was the other dark-haired man he was holding.

An hour has passed and no one spoke a word. They welcomed the silence, though they were wanted to be replaced with something else. As if having enough, Neji stood up and made an effort to release his hand from Naruto's when the blonde held on it tighter.

Neji understood and sat back. "Did you have something to say?"

"You… Iruka told me that you were the one who paid the bills," his voice was hoarse and weary, but Neji did not condemn him for that. He was even impressed at the emotional strength Naruto have shown the last few days.

"Aa," he confirmed and Naruto's hand loosened. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Naruto glanced at him. "You do know that by doing that, it meant that you just bought me, right?"

"Bought…you?"

It was also then he recalled their conversation that particular night.

"_Money? So is money everything that you're willing to sell your sanity to anything? Is money so important that you're willing to sell your life to whoever's giving it?" _

"_Yes," _

"_Really? How much are you then Naruto?" _

"_Why? How much can you give me Neji?"  
_

"_W-what?" _

"_You asked me how much I am, right? I'm merely asking how much you can give me. If I were to sell myself to someone, I have to make sure that I get the correct amount," _

Neji shook his head and answered him. "I didn't mean those words Naruto,"

"But I did, Neji,"

Neji's wildly stared at him. "What?" _What is he getting at? _He asked himself, incredulous at their conversation.

But blue eyes stared back at him with conclusiveness and Neji had a hard time concealing his disorientation. "And because of that I have one last favor to ask," the Hyuuga wasn't able to do anything but bob his head, still stunned.

"Take me away from here… with you,"

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: okay… we're getting warmer and warmer…

Thanks for all the reviewers who just commented and complimented the Eight Channel…

Review?


	10. Tenth Channel: Vanished

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

_Mirrors reflect your inner most self in a peculiar manner. _

**Tenth Channel: Vanished **

Konahagakure.

He stood outside the main gates, his clothes dirty and a little bit tattered, but his eyes glimmered with the look of triumph. He glanced up at the sun, high in the sky, his arm shielding his vision. He was back. At last.

The gates opened slowly and the ninjas on watch at that time greeted him with a smile, however, he paid no attention to them, as he went directly to the Hokage's tower, holding a bulky scroll on his left hand. He studied the busy streets of his village, ordinary people going bout their own ways, working their way through life. Just like him.

It had been almost two months since he was last standing in his village. The one he almost betrayed, but came back to. A small grin passed his features as he saw the place prospering, countless people smiling at him, welcoming him back. It was also like this back then. And he did not regret the fact he returned.

His eyes darkened. _Something's not right. _He thought. There was something not in place, although he can't put his finger into it. He brushed the topic aside, as he entered the room. "Hokage-sama," he began, and Tsunade looked up from the pile of documents that was already forming a formidable mountain. He examined her while he awaits her acknowledgment to speak. _Something is definitely not right. _He thought again, as he saw the dullness and gloomy aura surrounding her. She wasn't like this. He recalled her stubborn appearance, her voice cutting loud and clear, especially when she was talking to a particular dobe…

"How did the mission go?" she finally asked, breaking Sasuke's train of thoughts.

Sasuke walked down to the table she was seated in and handed her the mission report. "A success, as usual," he replied, his arrogance leaking down every word he said.

But Tsunade paid no heed, as he expected her to. "Good. You may go," without bothering to see if the dark-haired jounin obeyed her, she sank back to her seat and continued to work with her everyday duties lifelessly…

* * *

The next plan Sasuke went to his mind was to go back to his house and spend the rest of the day there, staying away from girls that threatened to disturb him. He walked down a very familiar path, not minding anyone, until he woke up from his stupor and frowned. This is not the way to his house.

Ichiraku's.

Somehow, he ended up at a certain blonde's favorite stall, while his mind was elsewhere. It seems that his body wanted to go there and did not comply with his mind's decision. He scanned the area, and found that the stall was empty. _Strange. _It was usually where he could find the ninjas that graduated with him years ago. It was where he could usually find Naruto.

_Naruto. _

The dobe failed to be erased from his mind from the day he started the mission. Because of him, he finished his task ahead of time, returning a week before the actual deadline. He was not bothered though. It was also a good thing that he came back earlier; he had enough time to talk things over with the blonde.

_Talk? What will we talk about? _He discovered himself retorting his very own words, his mind working at none for the first time. He had nothing to talk about with him.

Although he did find himself standing outside his apartment later on.

He cursed himself for his inability to straighten out the creases of their friendship. Three or fours years ago, he wouldn't have minded him and his 'so-called friendship'. But now… now that he did, he did not want it destroyed.

Just because of his problem to articulate his own feelings for him.

He jumped stealthily over the branch that was directly located in front of the single room's window and he peered inside. Unfortunately, the black curtain was not giving him a good view, so he pushed the window open, not caring whether the blonde kid would shout at him, scolding him about respecting other people's homes. He could always cover his ears anyway.

"Oi do--" _What the fuck? _

There was nothing but empty.

He glanced at the bed. It was empty.

He rushed outside the room and headed to the living room. Also empty.

The kitchen. Empty.

The bathroom. Empty.

Sasuke paused and his mind's wheels started to turn, trying to find a suitable reason for the kid's absence. _Maybe he's on another mission. Maybe he was out on the training grounds… maybe… _only a few reasons entered his mind and before he exited the apartment, he ventured towards the closet where Naruto should've kept his clothes.

Empty.

_No way. _He took another round throughout the whole of the residence and he saw the cupboards still filled with several bowls and cups all starting to gather dust. As if no one was living there for a while now. _No one… _

Thinking quickly, his mind traveled to only one person who probably would know what happened. He clasps his hands together in different, fast hand seals and disappeared in a fog of smoke.

He appeared a second later, again, in the Hokage's room. "Where's Naruto?" he half asked, half demanded to their all powerful leader. Tsunade did not pay heed to him. "Where's Naruto?" he demanded again, making his voice louder and clearer.

"None of your business brat," a curt reply from the Hokage. It sent the Uchiha into the edge of anger.

"What the hell?" he whispered. "It is my business! Who told you that Naruto's business was not mine!"

"Naruto did," another curt reply that sent Sasuke silent.

_What the fuck? Naruto…did? _His mind shut down, he did not know what to expect anymore. And with what had just happened, he thought that nothing would surprise him again.

Or so he thought.

"Yes, Naruto did," Tsunade confirmed, but her eyes remained the same. "But to satisfy your curiosity, Naruto left. With my permission,"

"But…why?"

"He told me to tell you that," a momentary pause. "He did not want to see you again,"

* * *

Sasuke kicked the garbage bin at the side of the clean street. It went straight to a nearby tree, sending its contents flying out in all directions. _Damn it. Damn it. Damndamndamndamndamndamn. _His heart raced in contempt and anger. _He did not want to see me again? Is that why he left? Because he did not want to see me again? _His fist made hard contact with concrete wall and it left a permanent dent on it. _Damn it. _

He was fuming, his anger rising to new depths and it miffed him to not be able to vent it. With renewed vigor due to his fury, he sped towards the forest that led to the training grounds.

Increased speed and anger helped him arrive faster than normal, but his heart was overflowing beforehand. "FUCK YOU NARUTO! IS EVERYTHING YOU SAID JUST A FUCKING LIE? HOW DARE YOU PLAY ME ON!" he shouted, the veins on his neck showing. Birds nearby scrambled in fear, their heightened senses alarming them to distance themselves from the angry boy. "DAMN YOU!" immense chakra flowed out of his body and flared, the ground shaking in its intensity.

Anger, this he showed. But why was it creating such a large impact on him? Naruto leaving… Naruto telling him that he did not want to see him again… he should have been happy, having the loud-mouthed brat off his back. Gone for good. Nothing would prevent him from doing what he wanted any longer. He should have been happy instead of showing anger…

Perhaps he did not understand the depth of his emotions…

* * *

He stood again inside the barren bedroom of Naruto's apartment; the darkness of the night was being eased by the light of the moon. Strands of moon beam filtered in the room, but the inside was still dark, similar to his mood. Dark, though his anger has passed. He did not have it in him to stay angry with the blonde for so long. He did not understand.

There are just many things he did not know, events happening beneath his nose and he did not like it. Like this one. He felt something was missing.

He wanted to be mad at Naruto for leaving, for the words the blonde told him but did not mean, for creating the havoc in his mind. He wanted to remain angry at him. But he could not.

He sat at the edge of the unoccupied bed and buried his face in his hands. He felt the bitterness of being alone once more now that Naruto left. He still did not know why.

His eyes scanned the room again, noting that everything felt empty, even if some of the blonde's belongings were still there. His eyes journeyed to the side table. _What's this? _His vision rested on a black notebook resting on the smooth, flat surface of the small side table. He picked it up gingerly, his fingers tracing the edge and felt dust. He brushed the cover clean. Slowly, he lifted the thick, battered cover and read the first page he encountered.

_What's this? Why is my name written on it? _He stared on the first page and asked himself. His eyes softened as he recognized the dobe's handwriting.

"He also left you, didn't he, Sasuke?"

Sasuke whirled around at the mention of his name and glared. Leaning dangerously calm on the wall was Gaara, the person he did not want to see right now. "That's none of your business," his voice annoyed, and his muscles tensing at the mere sight of the Sand-nin. That, he also did not understand.

Cool, green eyes locked with black ones and for the second time that day, he fell silent. "That's why I told you, we're more similar to each other," monotone spoke again, his lithe frame moving leisurely towards him. "So why don't you just…" he left a gap in his sentence, not continuing until he leaned forward further on the still Uchiha, leveling his face with the dark-haired jounin from Konoha. "…forget about him," he finished, licking his lips sensually before claiming the parted lips, his tongue invading Sasuke's abruptly.

The dark-haired boy's mind was in overdrive as Gaara continued his assault on him. When the red-haired nin bit his lower lip softly, his consciousness snapped.

"What the fuck are you doing!" he hissed after he broke the contact, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"Kuchizuke mochiron," came a reply, a wicked smile playing upon his lips as he licked it again, gazing possessively at the swollen ones of Sasuke's.

Sasuke's cheeks burned, both with anger and embarrassment. "I know that," he retorted, and then added. "What I want to know is why the fuck you're doing that to me,"

Green eyes closed in the darkness and opened again with a determined gleam. "I thought I already made it clear," Gaara began. "About how I felt about you,"

His brain went back to normal, and he gave Gaara a fierce look. "Then keep your feelings to yourself," his grating expression reaching the red-haired nin's ears plainly. Now he was sure, he did not feel the same way as Gaara. It was because with Gaara, he felt only cold. He felt only possessiveness.

It was not what he wanted to feel, not after experiencing them firsthand.

Green eyes flickered with obvious hurt, but being skilled at keeping his emotions at bay, he hid them again and restored his cold look. "That's what you say, Sasuke. But that's not what you really want,"

Cold eyes looked intently on a pair of cold eyes as well as Sasuke slowly, but steadily replied. "I know what I want," he was sure of himself as he told Gaara that, but on reality, he was not.

Gaara brought an end to the discussion, disappearing in a sea of sand, after giving him a look that said, 'I don't believe you'.

"Damn," Sasuke cursed again, his fingers touching his heated lips. _He stole my first kiss._ He suddenly pondered, starting to get angry again.

That is… until he felt in his hands the notebook he was holding.

_Oh yeah, that's right. _Naruto _was_ his first kiss.

* * *

"Did you read it yet?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked Sasuke, as they munched on the ramen served by Ichiraku's.

Sasuke touched a pocket on his vest. "No. Not yet," he answered, his hands returning to hold his chopsticks.

Six months passed by so fast, Sasuke barely remembered the things that happened during those months. He busied himself with numerous missions after Naruto left, coming back to the village only to rest before he went away again. A few days after he found out the blonde disappeared from the village, he immediately went by Sakura's house and asked about him. The medic-nin's face fell and told him she knew nothing about it, only that he left with permission. Kakashi refused to disclose any information to him, like Iruka and Konohamaru, saying that it was Naruto's parting wish.

Two months later, after going back from a recon mission, he visited Hinata, wanting to at least get a little information. And he did, but not what he wanted.

It turned out that Hyuuga Neji left with him.

And after that, he did not care to ask anyone any longer, just constantly bringing the notebook the blonde left with him anywhere.

"Why?" he heard Sakura inquire, his green eyes eyeing him with concern. Sasuke did not trouble himself to look back at the worried kunoichi. The color of her eyes only reminded him of someone he did not want to think of.

"Stop asking me meaningless questions," artic tome emerged from previously pursed lips, and at the back of his mind, he heard Naruto shouting 'stop being mean to Sakura-chan!' with his traditional high-pitched voice.

How he wished he was really there.

Sasuke stood up, paying for his food and left with Sakura still sitting on the counter. He sensed Rock Lee from the corner, and decided to go away, before he was spotted. He was quite sure that the boy with the tacky bowl cut would just try and lead him off to the training grounds. Rock Lee told him it was his way to let him forget the blonde boy.

Bah! Who cares about Naruto anyway?

…he did.

But even now, he still did not realize it.

That night, he noticed that he was inside the blonde's apartment yet again, lying down on the mattress and staring at the blackened ceiling. _Why is everything black?_ He caught himself asking, seeing that all objects inside the room was painted in black. He held took out Naruto's notebook from his pocket and held it up his head.

As if on impulse, he opened it again, not caring if he was venturing on private territory. He read quickly, the words in it not sinking in his mind and he stopped, returning to the second page and took the time needed to fully read the entries.

At the first entries, he saw himself smiling, sensing Naruto on every page and on every entry he encountered. He did not disregard seeing his name on the first line of every record, he just let it be, feeling the sincerity and affection in it.

Thirty minutes and he had enough. Now, he realized and he hoped that he was not too late.

_Help me…_

He discovered his new goal. He was going to find Naruto.

_Please…_

No matter how long it takes, or how hard it's got to be; even if it means taking him away from Neji.

_Salvation…_

Because Naruto was first his.

_Stop pretending…_

And he will claim his right for him.

**-Continued-****

* * *

**

Thanks for all those who reviewed the ninth channel… hope you guys are still reading this…

Review?


	11. Eleventh Channel: Missing Completion

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk**

**Important Reminders, READ EVERYTHING: **

**One:** Character appearances are done one moment at a time. If some of the major characters do not appear in a chapter, it means that they will appear on the next. Please don't ask where who was every time you can't see a certain character in the chapter.

**Two:** Sometimes, the answers to your questions are already written in the chapter, so before you ask any of your questions, be sure to read or re-read the chapter to see if the answer is there or not, if not, then please feel free to ask me anything.

**Three:** Please don't tell me whether to lengthen or shorten my chapters. Before I wrote this story, I only made 3-4 pages per chapter, now I'm actually writing 8-12 pages per chapter just to meet your satisfaction. However, there will be times wherein I won't be able to meet your demands for a long chapter. I write as fast as I can to update regularly so please understand that at times I won't be able to write long chapters.

**Four:** The story is not beta-ed, so if there are wrong grammars or spelling, then I'm sorry.

**Five:** I noticed how many writers and readers are fond of Harry Potter Slash stories, and maybe some of you have also been writing it, in fact. I just want to recommend one HP story that really inspires me to do better in writing. I assure you that the story is very well-written, concise and creative. If you ever read it, you will immediately find yourself putting the story and the author in your favorites because all of her HP fics are very good, that's what happened to me anyway. The fic is entitled: _**Irresistible Poison, by Rhysenn **_

**Last thing:** I have a favor to ask all of you. Please try to read _**Nights in White Satin**_, which I have posted just last week. I need to know whether I have done well for that one-shot. It's a tribute for the NejiNaru fans of this story because if things will go as I think they would, this story will turn out to be a NaruSasu. In the one-shot, I have not bothered to write even one 'Sasuke'. Only Neji and Naruto. It's kind of my sorry… dedicated to you all.

Thank you for still supporting this and I hope that I didn't bother you guys at all for reading this.

Italics- flashbacks

Standard disclaimers apply:

* * *

**Eleventh Channel: Missing Completion**

The sun sets in brilliant colors of red and orange, combined with the serenity that the color blue brought, rendering a perfect harmony that existed only in nature. Blue eyes watched as it slowly disappeared, being replaced by the stillness of night under the light of the moon and its stars. He sat contemplating whether he did the right choice of leaving behind everything that meant the world to him. Frowning, he realized that the reason he left was to try and forget.

Pale fingers calmly massaged his tense shoulders and he relaxed under the soothing touch, sighing in response. He raised his hand and clamped it to one pale hand and smiled. He was grateful that someone was still there.

"Let's go Neji," trying to come up with the happiest tone he said to the pale-eyed boy and Neji nodded, holding the wheelchair that Naruto sat in and pushed it. A chilly wind blew and Naruto shivered under it. Neji stopped and took off his vest. Gently, he wrapped it around Naruto. "Thanks," softly smiling, the blonde adjusted it so he would cover his shivering body efficiently.

It had been two months after they left the main village of Konoha and started living a solitary life in the safe house of the Hyuuga family. The specific house was located just beside a cliff and there was no way in except going through a tunnel. Two months also passed by and Neji stopped doing missions to take care of the blonde, but he didn't regret it. Not at all.

Naruto started his physical therapy a week after they got settled. It was a hard task, especially since Neji knew that Naruto was having a hard time accepting his condition. Often times, he smiled, act like he was over it, but in reality, he was not. Neji wanted to console the younger boy, however, he didn't know how. He just wished that somehow he hadn't entirely closed himself to the world so he would have more use to Naruto than what he is.

They entered the house and Neji went directly to the blonde's room. As they were beside the bed, the Hyuuga took Naruto's hand and assisted him. Just a month ago, he had to carry Naruto so he could lie in his bed, but now… he could do it only by having a little assistance. Neji was very glad for his fast recovery.

He tucked Naruto. "Oyasumi nasai,"

"Oyasumi," then blue eyes closed to get some sleep.

* * *

"_Take me away from here… with you," _

_Neji roughly leaned forward and touched Naruto's face. "What are you talking about? Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, feeling the blonde's forehead for any sign of fever. _

_Naruto shook his head gently. "I'm really fine Neji," he replied, his voice still so low that Neji had to strain his ears just to catch what he was saying. _

"_But why?" with Naruto, he always asked that particular question. Why this?…why that? It was a part of him that told him he wanted to know more about Naruto. The reasons behind his actions, the way he thinks… why he always prioritizes other people before him… it was too complicated. _

_Dull, blue eyes turned away from him. "I don't want Sasuke to see me like this," he answered truthfully. Neji's eyes flickered with obvious pain, his mind reaching a point wherein it told him that he no longer stood a chance. Sasuke completely dominated the blonde's heart. _

_But what Naruto was offering to him… it was a once in a lifetime deal. He knew that he only had little chance, but at least he still had one. Maybe time will heal old wounds and will work up the courage to face another future, he thought. And this idea he considered more. _

"_Are you sure? Where will we go?" he heard himself inquire again. He did not have any idea what to do… just an instinct that says he should grab the opportunity and when hell happens, that's when he'll start worrying. _

"_I don't know. I just want to go away…stay away," another anguished reply. "I'm yours now, aren't I?"_

_If only Neji can believe his words…__

* * *

_

"_How are you feeling?" _

"_Fine," _

_One week since the move, Naruto was trying his best to act the same, cheerful guy he was. He tried his best, because he didn't want Neji to worry about him especially when the pale-eyed boy was the one taking care of him every step of his way. _

_It was Neji who does everything. The cleaning, cooking, laundry… even bathing, since the blonde wasn't capable to do anything for himself at the moment. And he didn't want to look sad in front of the Hyuuga who does his all to keep to him alive and well_

"_Sleep well, Naruto," blue eyes closed and feigned sleep so the Hyuuga would leave. However, Neji knew better, and he kept sitting at the bedside of the blonde. The blonde opened his eyes again and focused it into the pale ones of Neji. _

"_Why are you still here?" he whispered, his hoarse voice an indication he was breaking down, again. Naruto wanted to sit and told Neji that so he helped him, silently. _

"_Neji?" brows furrowed at the silence the long-haired boy was giving. _

_A long sigh followed by a warm hug. "Sasuke isn't here anymore. You can cry now," tanned hands clenched into balls of fist and shuddered. Neji hugged him tighter. _

_Naruto pounded his fist into Neji's chest, amidst the roughness of his actions, he started crying, unable to keep his frustrations hidden any longer. "Sasuke! Why aren't you here?" the blonde started calling out. "Sasuke…Sasuke…SASUKE! Where are you? Why aren't you…here" his blue eyes brimming with all the unshed tears he kept for so long. He continued pounding his fists, now on the bed. Neji did not look at him, he discerned that the blonde did not want him to be seen as weak. Although right now, he was a fragile glass, and he had no experience with handling anything so fragile. _

"_Naruto…"It was unfair. No matter which angle you try to look at it, it was unfair. Naruto didn't deserve any of this. He did not._

_Strong hands gripped pale shoulders hard. "Tell me Neji… did I do anything to deserve all of this? Am I so evil that my life is so fucked up?" a chuckle amidst free flowing tears. "Is it so wrong to try and prove that I am worth other than being the vessel?" _

"_No, you don't deserve any of this…" came a weak reply. _

"_Then why? Why is it like this?" he was getting tired with each passing second, the strength he had when he held Neji's shoulders was gone and his hands lay limp beside him. "Why isn't Sasuke here?" _

_Neji took the blonde into his warm embrace again. _But I'm here, Naruto. Am I not enough? _"I'm sorry Naruto," he murmured at the sleepy blonde._

"_I told you that you don't need to be sorry," he told the Hyuuga and detached himself from his embrace. "I'm tired, Neji. I think I'll go sleep now," giving a small smile he said. "Arigato," _

_Neji helped Naruto get comfortable. "Oyasumi nasai," he said as he bent down and kissed the blonde on the forehead.__

* * *

_

_Naruto transferred all the force he could muster to his feet and he pushed himself out of the wheelchair and practically thrown himself onto the bed. He was successful and that made him and Neji smile in unhidden triumph. Naruto took his first steps in recovery. It was a good thing since he did all of this in only a month. _

"_I actually did it!" his voice was overflowing with a sense of achievement, the first hint that Naruto was progressing. Neji walked forward and put the wheelchair aside, he threw a piece a big box which was covered in newspapers. With the reflexes of a ninja still imbedded in his body, he caught it easily, just how easy it is for him to catch a wielding kunai thrown to him. "What's this?" blue eyes twinkled with curiosity, Neji only smiled. _

"_Open it," he ordered the blonde, and eagerly he complied, tearing the newspapers and opened the box greedily. His eyes glittered as he saw something that gave him a reason to get up in the morning, afternoon and evening. _

"_RAMEN!" he shouted, his hands trembling as he held each one and hugged it tightly. Neji laughed at his antics. "Ramen, how I've missed your sweet taste… you're the apple of my damn eye, the sun of my shitty universe, the core for my fucking life…" _

_Neji stole the ramen he was holding which shocked Naruto and ended up hearing a surprised 'hey! That's my ramen!' speech. _

"_If you don't stop cursing, I won't give this to you…" a threat coming from the Hyuuga was something he shouldn't dare to take on, but he always did it anyway. _

_The blonde turned on his puppy dog and pout look, it made Neji's convictions soften. "Please… give it back… I won't fucking do it again, I promise! I'll even take it down unto my damned grave," lips quivered to add to the effect. _

_Neji's lips twitched in mock annoyance and hidden amusement. It seemed that no matter what he said, the blonde always manages to get the upper hand. Where is his iron steel will when he needed it?_

_With a defeated sigh, he handed the sealed ramen cups back and Naruto took them greedily, ordering Neji to get some hot water pronto. Neji laughed again and hurried out the room to go get what the 'master' said. _

_Minutes later and a papery hiss were heard as the blonde opened the ramen and started slurping. Sounds of 'mmm this is so good' and 'it doesn't get any better than this', the whole of the entire box previously filled with ramen was almost gone. Naruto slammed his empty bowl on the wooden tray with a loud 'thud' and put his chopsticks down gently beside it. "Thanks a lot for the ramen!" he cheered and this earned another smile from the male Hyuuga. _

_Blue eyes stared at Neji and it made the Hyuuga uncomfortable. "What is it? Is there some dirt on my face?" he asked and he traced his face, Naruto laughed. _

"_No, it's just that you've been smiling a lot more than before," the blonde youth told the Hyuuga. _

_Taking one tan hand, he replied. "Yeah well, it's because you're smiling too Naruto," he gathered the empty plastic bowls and threw them in the box and was about to stand up when two arms encircled him in the waist. It was Naruto's._

_The blonde was leaning against his back and tried to bury himself in the Hyuuga's warmth. "You do want me, don't you Neji?" he murmured. It was an invitation he was giving to Neji and the pale-eyed man knew it. Neji turned around and embraced Naruto back. It was the one thing he was waiting for to hear. And he wanted to accept. _

_But a picture under the pillow of the blonde caught his eyes. It might have been there since the day they moved, Neji didn't know. What he knew is that it was a picture of Team Seven, taken a few years back. Sasuke was doing his usual expression and Naruto… he saw beautiful, vivid blue eyes staring at the stoic guy, a loving and protective gaze. _

_Neji extracted himself of the embrace and looked downcast. "I do Naruto. But not… not like this," _Not when I know that it is still with Uchiha your heart belongs to. _Naruto knew what he meant but he could only stare as Neji made his way out the room.

* * *

_

Waiting outside the door, Naruto moved his wheelchair back and forth. After the second week of their move, he already got used to the place and was able to control the chair by himself. He didn't want to always depend on Neji.

They were living there for eight months now, and his progress had been—as Neji told him—going really well, and he was happy. It had taken him a while to finally accept what happened and another little while to realize that Sasuke will not be there to help him. He was now fine with that, besides, Neji was still there and that was more than he could ask for.

If only he can convince himself that he had moved on.

He was being unfair to Neji. He was giving him the hope that someday he would be able to love him as much as he loved that Uchiha. Heck! He wanted that to happen as well, yet, he couldn't bring himself to stop thinking about the only person who incarcerated his soul for so long. And being away from him made him… incomplete.

He couldn't let Neji discover that though, it would only hurt him more. The pale Hyuuga has done so much for him all he could ever do was say 'thank you' and not talk about the raven-haired boy around him. And it wasn't enough. The long-haired boy knew him so well that even without speaking; he senses that Naruto was still ruminating about Sasuke.

Naruto trailed the stoned path as he waited for Neji to come back. The Hyuuga needed to return to the village to submit a report to the Hokage, so that meant he was going back to the main village. _Will he see Sasuke? _The blonde asked himself and quickly, he rid himself of those thoughts. He told himself time and again to stop thinking about him, so he should. It was for the best.

It was noon already when Neji came back, his brows beginning to knit. Something must've occurred when he returned.

"Neji!" Naruto shouted and he waved at the frowning boy. "Okaeri!" the long-haired boy's frown was swapped with a small smile.

"Tadaima," he replied, his voice even and calm. "We're you waiting for me?"

"Un!"

Neji held the wheelchair and began leading the blonde boy back inside. "You shouldn't be outside," he told the blonde. "It's getting colder everyday. You might catch a cold,"

Naruto pulled a face. "Beedah! No cold could ever wear me out! Stop being such a mother, Neji!"

"But you're such a child," came an endearing reply.

"But a very handsome, adorable and cute child,"

"Hai, hai," they entered the dining hall. Neji took out two glasses and made some tea. "Here," he handed one glass and Naruto took it gladly.

The air was serene and was blowing softly; the leaves that rustled in the trees unhurriedly fell down from its tree branch. Everything was so peaceful that Naruto suddenly missed being on the battle field, doing missions and fighting. Peace was a thing he didn't experience the most.

A quiet voice broke the silence. "Uchiha is looking for you,"

Blonde head snapped up. "What?" he said, and then bowed his head when he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be talking about him in front of Neji.

"Uchiha has been looking for the past--"

"Yamero," Naruto ended the conversation even before it actually began. "I don't want to talk about it,"

"But why? I thought you'd be happy if you knew that Uchiha was looking for you," Neji was tired of the pretense. He wanted to stop pretending to himself that the blonde would find it in his heart to love him and forget about Sasuke. But every passing day, he could see clearly than ever the longing that resides in his fragile heart.

"I don't want to talk about something I've lost. I've lost everything, and talking about him would make me fell worse about having nothing," the blonde drank the tea in one gulp, his voice cold and protected.

Pale hands banged down on the wooden table. It was not hard enough to shatter it but the force was enough for it to create a loud noise. Blue eyes stared in fear. He didn't mean to make Neji angry. "You haven't lost everything, Naruto. You have me," he informed the still immobile blonde, his mind still on the verge of understanding Neji's message. "But I can't fool myself any longer. I can't keep convincing myself that you having me around is enough for you. Clearly it isn't,"

"But it is," the blonde quickly replied. He didn't want to see Neji sad because of his mistakes.

"No Naruto, it isn't," Neji stood abruptly, and exited the room, leaving Naruto behind.

_I'm not what you need. _

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: Okay, I wanted to insert how Tsunade gave them the permission to go away. But basically, since Neji is still reporting to the Hokage, it meant that it was a long-term mission. So there, thanks for the reviewers who just reviewed the Tenth Channel! I hope that I can still entertain you all!

Review?


	12. Twelfth Channel: Backstabbing Mechanisms

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Italics- thoughts/flashback

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

**Twelfth Channel: Backstabbing Mechanisms **

_Strong hands gripped pale shoulders hard. "Tell me Neji… did I do anything to deserve all of this? Am I so evil that my life is so fucked up?" a chuckle amidst free flowing tears. "Is it so wrong to try and prove that I am worth other than being the vessel?" _

"_No, you don't deserve any of this…" came a weak reply. _

"_Then why? Why is it like this?" he was getting tired with each passing second, the strength he had when he held Neji's shoulders was gone and his hands lay limp beside him. "Why isn't Sasuke here?"__

* * *

_

Apparently, the villagers were more than happy to learn that Naruto had left the village and wouldn't return for a considerable amount of time. Well, that doesn't include the owner of the Ichiraku Ramen Stall. The 'business man' thrived on the number of bowls the blonde would eat whenever he was in the restaurant, which was everyday. He definitely missed Naruto.

It wasn't hard to notice the quiet aura Konoha had with the blonde ball of energy gone. It angered Neji's nerves though, knowing that people did not give a damn about Naruto's safety after all the times Naruto had to risk his life for Konoha. They easily forgot how the boy was willing to give up his life for them.

But with Sasuke's case, they were more than eager to accept him back.

Of course, if he had been on the receiving end of it, he would prove to them that their trust would not be thrown away in vain. He would work hard, regain his honor and pride. Yet, the Uchiha did not even do anything to prove that he's worthy of being trusted again. But still…

And with this detail, Neji failed to see why Naruto could like—love even—such a guy.

And even after all this months of being together, he was still a failure.

It hurt.

Especially when he would see Naruto in so much remorse and he could not do anything about it but to remain in the obscurity of the night that swallows him whole.

It hurt.

Whenever blue eyes would look at him with fake mirth, and he could easily see underneath the façade the shadows that defiles the verity of his happiness.

It hurt.

When he knows that whatever he tries to do to compensate for the loss that befell on Naruto, something will always make the boy suffer that the fires of hell wouldn't even compare from.

It was devious, the plans that fate had made. More devious than the past deeds that Sasuke had done.

Then again, he did not believe in fate and destiny any longer. However, he needed to _blame _someone, something. And if he couldn't blame himself… then he would blame fate.

Furthermore, he was in the main village of Konoha. Again. He had not expected to be back so soon, being there just yesterday.

Neji had enough. He cannot fool himself into saying that he makes Naruto happy even with just staying beside him. Albeit the blonde constantly reminded him that he _is_ happy with him. It was bogus, he knew, still it made him glad, merely by having the blonde with him. It made him… plainly and thankfully happy.

He knew that it had to stop, because once he gets used to the feeling, he might not want Naruto to separate from him any longer. And Naruto's body is progressively getting better and better everyday. There was only a little time left before he gets back to perfect shape, returns home… faces Sasuke… and then he would be left alone once more.

He did not want to be selfish. That's the reason why he's going straight to the raven-haired boy's house to talk to him into coercing Naruto to come back. And maybe let Uchiha sweep Naruto off his feet, all of the actions causing major distraught to him.

Neji was already predicting his future, without thinking that it might change after all.

The rush of chakra nearby disturbed his train of thoughts and instantaneously, he was obtrusively looking fiercely at Gaara.

Both boys was focused on keeping the silence around them, hanging viciously with malicious intent, bodies tensing as they continued to stare at each other, neither moving. On the next minute Gaara suddenly dropped his guard, leaving Neji baffled, though showed only a slight change in his expression. The Sand-nin's hands flew up and Neji's sharp vision caught something that was thrown in the air. Wordlessly, he flicked his hands up, catching a small brown bottle with content.

Frowning in curiosity, Neji asked. "What's this?" dropping the hand that held the jar on his side.

Gaara raised a monotone voice, something that Neji was accustomed to hear. "Medicine from the Village of Healing. Use that on Uzumaki and his legs would function again as if he was never paralyzed,"

Neji gave Gaara a narrowed look, his glare intensifying ten-fold. "How did you know about that?" each word was venom, dangerous and centered at the red-haired boy.

As if goading the Hyuuga, Gaara lips twitched upwards, giving him a smirk, finishing the discussion mutely. A low growl escaped from Neji's throat, threatening the silent boy.

"I have my ways," Gaara finally replied after getting the much awaited response from the long-haired boy.

"You don't expect me to believe that you'll give this away because you care for Naruto, do you?"

A crossed arm. "Of course not. I'm striking a deal out of you, Hyuuga," a casual reply, calm, calculating, his tone saying that he won't accept 'no' for an answer.

"And that is?"

"Erasing all of Uzumaki's memory of Uchiha, Sasuke,"

Skeptical look, contemplating the idea, it was not good. "How can you do such a thing?" Neji asked carefully, noting that with Gaara's straight-forward approach, he might've already known that such things were possible. He was yet to prove it though.

"That won't work, Hyuuga. I know that you can perform a memory extraction jutsu very well,"

"I won't do it. I won't erase Naruto's memories only because of self-centered reasons," a sharp reply, clenching the jar and poising to return it to the rightful owner.

"But I don't think otherwise," Gaara was very sure of himself, sneer evident upon his face. "You would do it, because you know that erasing his memory is the best choice you have left,"

Neji flinched.

"And not only will it benefit you, but Uzumaki as well, seeing that the one that causes his pain the most is none other than Uchiha, Sasuke. You've seen that for yourself haven't you?" it was not a metaphorical question, the last one. Gaara was right on target, and he cursed himself for being caught off guard.

But before Neji could say anything else, Gaara left, grains of sand floating in mid-air, the only proof that he was there, and when the sand descended on the ground, mixing with the dusts that lay there, gone were his convictions to be a holder of selfless devotion.

* * *

Distracted.

It was the perfect word to describe the results of Sasuke's missions.

Tsunade couldn't scold him though. After all, his missions were successful, if you take out the fact that the dark-haired boy was acquiring more injuries than what he had for the past three years.

And even if she wanted to talk to him about it, Tsunade doubted that he would tell _her_. Considering that the next time they saw each other, the Uchiha barely said a word, much less look at her. The sentence that she said on Naruto's behalf must've quite an impact on him. And she could only guess why.

But, that doesn't mean that he should go and injure himself, recklessly pushing himself into battles that he could easily win without having merely a shade of a bruise on him. It was bad. Real bad. One of these days, Tsunade fears that his recklessness would lead him to no good.

There's only one solution.

"Sasuke," she called out to the jounin who was briskly exiting the room. When she saw Sasuke stop, she continued. "I'm listing you off the members of active shinobis,"

_That _got Sasuke's attention.

"Why?"

"Things with you are getting out of hand, as I see it,"

"But all my missions are a success,"

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched. Sometimes, the boy's impudence was too much. "Just go do as I say and work out your problems," she hissed, restraining herself from strangling the boy half-dead.

Sasuke nodded and went out the room.

Tsunade relaxed. Finally… some peace.

* * *

Sasuke was thunderstruck. In other words, utterly surprised.

He was aware that he hadn't been exactly paying much attention to his missions, leaving him more wounded than he had experienced for years. Though that didn't give the Hokage enough reason to list him off the active list of shinobis. If that was the reason then Tsunade was being very, very ridiculous.

But then, he was given more free time, meaning that he will have more chances to find Naruto.

His day was looking up. It seemed that it wasn't a bad idea after all.

After days of searching and finding nothing, Sasuke leaned into the thought that maybe it was possible to disappear without a trace. Given that the blonde shinobi _did _it. Only, something was terribly not in place.

It wasn't normal to leave without a proper reason. And without a proper reason, the Hokage would definitely not allow someone—even if it was Naruto himself—to leave Konoha. And knowing that Naruto was one of the best ninjas there are in the village, it was a great risk. And with Neji also gone, they took an even greater risk.

Neji.

Not only was it suspicious, it also angered Sasuke into thinking that the blonde would just pack up his bags and go, leaving him behind with the struggle of rushing emotions burning seething fires within his empty soul. Ranging deep and dark, the hidden feelings surfaces abruptly, awakening him in unknown territory, groping blindly amidst the walls that he, himself built. Familiarity he had within his boundaries was eradicated before he can prevent. It was futile.

He wanted to react calmly, like he would in the face of death. Yet, he had come to realize that this is different from death, and from danger. Because in the battlefield, he felt no fear. Only the thought that he should finish his mission, or protect Konoha were sculpted in his mind. And neither of those thoughts was entering his mind that exact moment.

Right now, he was feeling incongruous, that somehow, being at home did not feel like being at _home. _In a way, it was always like that in his life. Being at home is being a stranger locked upon a solitary room, desolate.

When did he ever come across the notion that at one point, he felt home?

Then, just when his answer came, it had to vanish.

Was it just karma returning back? Malevolence eventually turning its backstabbing mechanisms on him?

An eye for an eye. Simple as that. The cruel jokes that the mighty saint of evil repays is extremely not a funny thing to laugh at.

Sasuke did not care though. Nor will he care how much hard work it will take to find one certain blonde boy.

If sacrifice was needed to comprehend this… _this _unusual feeling in his gut, Sasuke would not hesitate to give it.

Tearing apart his walls for a chance to dig up the part he thought he lost was already a great deal of sacrifice he was willing to surrender for Naruto.

And here again, going back to the place he calls 'home', yet hates every minute spent inside of it. Why should he love it when in each turn triggers all but joyful memories he can never forget. Each place holds nothing but traces of blood which cannot be wiped blank. It was nothing like a drawing made on a paper by a pencil that you can austerely erase if you manage to make a single mistake.

Memories are bound for you to carry on throughout the entirety of your life, that much, he learned the hard way.

Sasuke duck in the nearest alleyway, knowing a shortcut back to his house which he grimly took. Oblivious to his surroundings for the first time, he sauntered the streets with elegance that exuded his finesse and at the same time his roughness that only he could air. His head stood high and proud, pensive was his features, reminding the villagers not to cross him.

His mind was unstable though, swarming with unheeded deliberation that continually led him to uncertainty. Just when he needed an excellent plan, that's when his mind wouldn't cope up with his expectations. He held back a tired sigh. He did not want to seem problematic, thus looking weak.

Turning around the curb, he sensed a chakra signature that was all too recognizable. He did a double-take and cleared his blurred vision.

He could've just sworn that he saw Neji.

Or was it only a hallucination?

* * *

It was almost dawn when Neji returned back to where they were staying. His soundless way of moving inside the house would mean that he wouldn't wake the probably sleeping boy then again nothing can wake Naruto up until you decide to shower him with cold water anyway.

_What this? _The lights in the main hall were opened and the Hyuuga hurried. He slid the door ajar and saw Naruto, lying on the table, sleeping. Quiet as he came, he studied the blonde's sleeping face. He became upset when he saw traces of silver tears that dried on his face. He was crying again.

"_You would do it, because you know that erasing his memory is the best choice you have left," _

Gaara's voice came haunting him, whispering words that obligated him to follow. It was not an easy decision. He racked his head for any solution that would be applicable to be substituted to what the red haired nin told him. Feeling the jar in his palm, it gave him another incentive to adhere Gaara.

"_And not only will it benefit you, but Uzumaki as well, seeing that the one that causes his pain the most is none other than Uchiha, Sasuke,"_

The tears that Naruto shed… he never caused either one of them. Everything was because of Sasuke. The Uchiha was capable of hurting the boy even without being there. It was uncalled for, and he will not stand by him seeing Naruto hurt.

Shaking the slumbering boy lightly, the blonde stirred from his sleep, slowly sitting up and rubbing his eyes awake. Neji stood without saying a word, calmly pulling another chair from under the table and taking a seat.

Naruto yawned. "Did you just get in?" he inquired, his blue eyes still staying half-lidded.

Neji nodded. "Yes, were you waiting for me?"

"Of course, I was worried when night came and you weren't back yet,"

A burst of sudden happiness swelled from deep within the long-haired boy and his face showed it, lighting up almost immediately as soon the sentence was out from the blonde's mouth. He did not know what to say though, so he remained quiet.

When his hand came across his pocket once more, he remembered about the medicine and what Gaara said to him. He pulled out the jar and placed it on the table. Naruto gave him an inquisitive look. "What's that?"

"Medicine, with it you will be able to recover faster,"

Naruto's face lit up. It was the best news he had since he was paralyzed. "Honto?"

"Honto,"

The blonde heaved a sigh of relief. "Yokatta,"

Neji allowed Naruto to savor the moment of hearing the good news, before he raised his hands and cupped Naruto's face. His thumb rubbed faintly the blonde's cheek, where the tears have faded into nothingness. "Is he still hurting you?"

Naruto stiffened at the question more so than the touch. "I'm sorry Neji," was all he could say.

It was inevitable. Having seen the joy on the blonde's face made him happy and at the same time, it made his heart wrench at the thought that he has to fulfill his side of the bargain. After all, he never backed down on his word, even though he was forced into it.

"Do you really want to forget him?" his voice was tentative, unsure of himself. His hands traveled back down to the table and his hands came together, folding in a sign of prayer.

Naruto, on the other hand, was speechless. He did not want to forget Sasuke. His memories of the dark haired Uchiha was all had since the accident, but it pained him to unfathomable depths recalling how he always walked out on him without bothering to say a single word. However, he also was not okay with seeing Neji hurt because of him. Sasuke was not here, and in spite of everything, Neji remained. "There's… there's a part of me that can't let go… but, I want to show you… how much I'm grateful. I've been trying really hard just to forget him. But somehow I just… can't" a weak tone replied, emerging from his soul the real feelings he was experiencing.

"There's a way to forget Naruto. But only if you let me,"

It was a grave choice, all of which have consequences to face. His mind did not accept the thought of running away… but then, wasn't it enough? He, too, wanted to be happy as well. And if… if Neji thinks that erasing Sasuke from his memories will make him happy…

He thought about it… all these times, pain was the only thing that Sasuke brought him. Nothing else. It had always been him who went into the frontlines and obtained a battered soul, accepting it with open arms, not complaining.

Alternatively, Sasuke forced out on him the emotions that he never considered to have, noble and pure, like a flower that first bloomed. To give without bothering to receive, glad to ensure the other's safety, though Sasuke did not give a damn. It was tiring.

And he was tired.

Should he say yes? Although he wanted to… the part that held Sasuke dear opposed. Naruto glanced at Neji, his pale, white eyes betraying his emotions, thoughts that swirled around sadness and rejection… pain… anguish and… self-sacrifice. If Naruto was in Neji's place, he would've just erased his memories without bothering to ask for the other's permission.

It was a sign that Neji truly cared for him, willing to give him up just to make him happy.

And he wanted Neji to be happy as well.

""Will it hurt?"

Pale eyes widened in response. "Are you… sure?"

There was no reversing the situation now. Having started it, the blonde intended to finish it as well. "If you think that's what's best for me… I don't think I could refuse,"

Wobbly hands moved up and rested on Naruto's forehead. Closing his eyes, Neji chanted unintelligible words so faint. The blonde closed his eyes too, nervous, taking a final trip around his memoirs of Sasuke, but before he could finish, his head was shoved backwards and everything went black.

It was done. Neji cried.

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: Village of Healing: I don't think that there is actually a village in the Naruto series, I got the name in Samurai 7. The village takes in wounded and hungry samurais, nursing them back to perfect condition. Also, weapons are not allowed. So I kinda borrowed it.

Memory extraction: there's no such thing in the series either, but I needed it. The method used to do it was also the same as how Hatori in Fruits Basket does it. I couldn't think of any other way on how to deliver that part so… again, not mine.

Guys… first and foremost, I'm not mad at you for asking questions. But sometimes, your questions are already answered in the chapter. I just want to tell that you should think about what you're going to ask before typing them. I am very grateful for the support you've shown to me and I can be anything but mad. Don't misunderstand me please.

The length of the story and how each chapter ends really depends on my writing prowess on the day it was written. Sometimes it takes more than three days to complete one chapter, sometimes only within 3-4 hours. It really depends on my brain's capacity to jug off ideas and be hard working enough to put them on the screen. But please… I'm not mad.

And about the pairings, I was supposed to end this story on this channel, but it turned out that another idea struck my almost asleep mind this dawn and I kept thinking that maybe I should try and see if it will work out. The problem is… with another story outline, I don't know whether it would end as NaruSasu or NejiNaru. So maybe the fans of NejiNaru would still have a chance to have what they want.

If you want to vote for it though, you can. I notice that many are asking for NejiNaru now than before. But in the earlier channels, most reviewers were asking for NaruSasu to work out… so please voice out your opinions and I would tally them up once and for all and decide.

Review?


	13. Thirteenth Channel: Better Days

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk **

**To my reviewers who inspired me through the lastfour chapters of this story... **

**Scorpz, Princess Kitana, tins, angel of darkness, catc10, xXfissshBonesssXx, quaebah24, sansty-san, Puriin, Ly Mizukage, Momochi Zabuza, chocoglico, Silent Victory, Jena, Uzamaki Liliana, Kaiyo no Hime, Strawberries and Napkins, bhodi li, Magikchaos, redfox9t, Msdbzmedabots, kokoro86, dreamcst, SchwarzViolet, sizzle, bloodofakiller, mkh2, Jewelclaw lady of wind, Kisu, pervertedgoofness, dreamcaster, Tsugath, ArrowHeart... You guys totally rock!**

Standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

**Thirteenth Channel: Better Days**

"This is the Hokage Mountain where the faces of each Hokage were sculptured to their resemblance," Iruka told the children that was sitting in front of him and gestured to the mountain behind him. "It is how we remember them and the great things they have done for our country,"

"Someday my face will be carved there and I'll be the greatest Hokage ever!" a child with sparkly bluish-grey eyes and light brown hair shouted and everybody looked at him.

"As if! You'll never become Hokage if you stay that weak," another commented with a smirk.

"Children," Iruka started but the attention still remained on the two boys that were starting to have a verbal argument over the matter. Iruka sighed and called them again. This time, they focused their attention on him. "Being the Hokage doesn't only mean being the most respected and strongest person in the country. It means having many responsibilities and giving up sacrifices to ensure the safety of every people,"

Those bluish-grey eyes did not falter. "I don't care. I'm going to become Hokage!"

Iruka sighed again. "How can you become Hokage when you can't even do a single bunshin?"

The class laughed merrily.

Everything was just like these five years ago.

A boy with blue eyes that sparkled with untamed mirth looked at him with determination that one cannot undermine even beneath the cynical stares of his co-students. _I don't care. I'll become a Hokage and I'll surpass every Hokage that came before me. I'll be the greatest Hokage ever! _It was the same. Not only did the words match but those eyes with undying fortitude and passion did as well. Before Iruka's eyes, the students and the environment melted away as the sound did and he was transported back to his classroom on that auspicious day where those blue eyes spoke volumes like his mouth did. But only he was the witness to the event.

All dissolves and pictures were rushing by him as he saw those blue eyes put into action the words he let out in the past. _I won't back down on my word! That's my nindo! _Iruka chuckled at the favorite phrase the owner of those vivid blue eyes said. Brown eyes watched as his former student worked hard, improved and exceeded everyone's expectations. He was proud of him.

"Iruka-sensei?"

Brown eyes once again re-focused on reality and saw the students staring at him with confused looks on their faces. He smiled. "Do you want to know what makes the Hokage strong?" he asked them and the children bobbed their heads in unbridled enthusiasm. He turned 180 degrees and stared at the mountain thoughtfully. "They're are strong because they have someone that is important to them and therefore, they strive to be the strongest to be able to protect the people that are most important to them,"

"Who are those people, sensei?"

Iruka returned his gaze on his students and smiled. "The people of Konoha," he said. "It is you, your families and friends. All of us,"

The children were struck with awe and understanding, their eyes holding high respect for the Hokages that lived before them and the current Hokage that was running their country at the moment.

"I have someone important to me too sensei! And I will become strong so I could protect them!"

"Yeah!"

"Me too!"

Iruka clapped his hands and gained the attention of his students who were now talking amongst themselves. "That's good. Now I see that Konoha will have a great future ahead of us,"

His class went out for a good 45 minutes more before he dismissed his students. Today has been a good day. His students listened to him, kept quiet and did not disobey him. And in return for their good behavior, he let them out ten minutes early.

He lay back on his seat and held up the seatwork his students had passed on the way out. That day, he told them that he wanted them to write about their dreams and goals in life. He scanned each page with a smile. Every student wrote a whole page essay, paragraph after paragraph. He stopped short when he saw one paper with only one sentence and the whole page was clean afterwards.

_I'll become the greatest Hokage Konoha ever had! _

Iruka put the paper down on his desk and pulled out a red pen. Carefully, poised the pen on the paper and wrote a grade of '100' on it.

"Ara, that's unfair sensei. When I wrote the exact same thing, you gave me a failing grade," a smooth, playful tone said. The academy teacher tensed slightly as he felt the presence that he was so familiar with beside him. Little by little, his eyes traveled upwards and he rested on the visitor's face. Blonde hair, blue eyes, those whiskered cheeks… and… that same warm smile. Iruka's eyes softened immensely.

"Tadaima," said the guest again. But no… he was not only a guest. He was family.

The Chuunin stood up and hugged the owner of those features whom he greatly missed. "Okaeri,"

* * *

Tsunade was _so_ well engrossed at her work that the papers were piling up so fast and you could almost _not _see her head, which was comfortably leaning on the table—sleeping. Her blonde hair was cascading over her face and half of it was covered. From behind her, the window was left opened, something that she was now accustomed to doing since the start of the summer. A light wind floated through the room and it caressed the Hokage's sleeping face ever so gently.

It was a calm summer afternoon, peaceful, quiet and not to mention, very tiring. With the absence of war from the country, she thought that somehow, her work would lighten and she would find free time to relax and maybe gamble through the night—not that Shizune could ever disagree or Jiraiya for that matter. That toad hermit would let you go only if you never fail to mention to help him with his 'data collecting'. Not that she would anyway.

The place was becoming more and more boring that soon her eyes gave up and with a defeated sigh she casually leaned onto the table and slept. Birds chirped, leaves rustled and soon the sounds around her melted away and all she could hear was nothing.

She had that kind of peace—one wherein she was entirely sure that no one would bother or even _dares_ to wake her up. Had she been enlightened and happy to receive that fact? She was never sure of it, but constantly, she can hear the nagging in her mind telling her to wake up. And she always did.

A light snore escaped from her lips and her ears were devoid of any hearing that it did not register into her that the door to her room was opened. She did not hear the soft tapping of something which was unmistakably made by wood and the sound of two pairs of footsteps that followed afterwards. She _did not _hear anything when the papers that piled up her desk were unceremoniously placed to the floor with a gentle thud.

But she did feel when a hand lightly touched her face and proceeded to tug her loose hair behind her ear.

Something in her suddenly stirred and she made no movement nor changed the pace of her breathing. Her mind awakened and she could remember the last time someone had been so familiar with her and her with that someone. The hand pulled back and chortled lowly. "Some things never change, do they, Tsunade-baachan?" And at that moment of silent reckoning, she decided that it was time.

It was _time. _

She still made no movement, trying to find out whether the visitor would say a few words still. _That child was always so ignorant. Many years of being a ninja and still cannot recognize whether someone was sleeping or not. _It was not like she chastised him for being that way. She did teach her body not to change even a breath's pace when she awakened with someone she did not know so near. Yet, it also wasn't like she didn't know _him_.

"She's awake," another voice said, and from the volume of it, she could determine that the person who owned that voice was a few feet away from her table.

This time, she heard the soft tapping of a wooden object and the footsteps that accompanied it afterwards. Slowly, she sat up and straightened herself in the most dignified manner she could manage, not looking at her visitors. She was excited and at the same time, afraid. What if she was only dreaming it?

"Tsunade-baachan?"

That voice again, the once melodramatic, whining voice she could still recall from the past years and now was developed into a tone more insinuating yet at the same time reeked the air of innocence that she was glad he did not lose over the war.

She opened her eyes and before her materialized a scene she dreamt of months before, a homecoming she had prepared herself to do.

She gave the blonde boy in front of her a once over, standing up simultaneously. Her eyes running through his obviously recuperating form. It came to her mind at first that it was way too early to see him now, knowing that it would take years before he could get up and go—but this was Naruto she was thinking and she always was shocked to see the boy healing faster than most people.

Naruto was now standing with the help of two crutches on both sides of his arms. But he was standing. Barely, but still standing.

With two quick, long strides, she was mere inches away from Naruto, she stared into his clear, blue eyes for what seemed like forever and drew him into a long, comfortable hug.

He was home, at last.

"Tsunade-baachan, I swear, if you don't let me go right now I'm gonna die of lack of oxygen," said the young man, laughing with his sense of humor. Tsunade drew back instantly, giving Naruto a smirk before replying.

"I know that you could barely stand and you look like someone really older than me brat, but I didn't realize that your body became one as well,"

Naruto glared at her. She missed that. "It did not!" he retorted whole heartedly.

She smirked at him and turned his attention to the one responsible for bringing her beloved brat so soon. And in very good condition. "You did a great job, Neji," she praised.

"I'm glad that you think so, Hokage-sama," the Hyuuga replied, giving her a smile, showing her that he was also proud of what he had accomplished. _Well, he looked like he really changed, _she thought to herself and the next moment she turned, she was being dragged back behind her desk and seated down by a struggling blonde.

"You should finish your work, you lazy hag," came a direct command from the boy who was accountable into putting her in the position. Tsunade glared at him and muttered, 'let's see if you enjoy doing this when you become Hokage'. Naruto failed to hear her though, for when she muttered those words, they were already halfway through the door and leaving, waving a good-bye and shouting 'I'll see you soon' to her.

Again, she smiled, in her heart she knew that Naruto would love being Hokage even with all this paper work.

This was certainly one of the better days.

* * *

"I can't believe that we both moved on with our obsession with Sasuke, forehead girl,"

"I know, Ino-pig. But I still can't believe that you are going out with Shikamaru,"

"Neither did I see you eventually holding hands with Lee,"

"Really? Well, me either, but after all he did for me; I can't very well ignore him can I? It's not like I made the first move or anything," Sakura gave Ino a knowing look.

Ino huffed. "As if you'd see that lazy boy moving a muscle towards the romance department,"

Sakura laughed, her hands loosening their hold on the bags of fruits and other groceries as she did. "At first you really looked like you popped a vein or something when he was, how do you put that? 'Either ignoring my advances or simply blind'. It was funny,"

Ino glared at her, and then smirked. "What's funny is how you're face looked when you first saw those thick eyebrows and those words about youth! Not to mention when he blew those kisses at you with flying hearts which you desperately dodged! Ha! Nothing would ever compare to that,"

"That's foul play Ino! Just because he has thick brows and does weird things don't mean he's not a good guy," Sakura retorted, immediately turning on Lee's defense. "Lee is a nice guy, incredibly naïve and somehow childish, but that just adds to his appeal. Not like Shikamaru. Always wanting to sleep, lazing the day off when he could be doing things more productive,"

Ino stared at her response. "Now _that's_ foul play, forehead girl. You and I both know that he is a genius at heart and no amount of sleep will change that,"

Sakura and Ino glared at each other and then their gazes softened. They simultaneously giggled.

The two girls continued walking down the street, with wooden fences built as divisions for several houses situated in the location. As they rounded the corner, Sakura stopped suddenly.

At the exact place, she recalled, a certain sun kissed blonde asked her to meet him five years ago—more or less. She hadn't known at that time why or what he would say. She just casually strolled out on him, and he gripped her shoulder and whirled her around and she lashed out on him, punched him straight on his face and sent him flying back and crashing down.

She had been angry. That's what she always acted when she thought that Naruto will do something stupid in front of him. She was also _aware_ that he liked her. Yet, in his obsession with Uchiha, she totally tuned him out. She had not realized how he risked his neck for her, how he always kept his promise. Especially when Sasuke left them.

Lee also did that for her, like the missing boy, he risked everything to protect her. With his 'youth speeches' and determination, he was successful in wooing her into her good graces. And she had liked him eventually, for real.

But Naruto was determined too, so why didn't she fall for him instead? In the matter of physical features, Naruto would have—by far—surpassed Lee, and with strength as we.. But why didn't she fall for him?

Why not _him_?

Sakura's thoughts flitted back to the brooding dark-haired shinobi she rarely saw and the look of loss and emptiness that haunted his eyes more so when Naruto suddenly disappeared burned her deeply. She realized long before that such emotions would never be directed at her, and frankly, she didn't think that Sasuke could bear such emotions.

But he did.

She was often ghosted by this particular look of dread. And when she saw him just after she saw those eyes… they were changed. It wasn't loss that inhabited those dark orbs… it was determination.

The very same look that Naruto used to have around her.

And at that fleeting moment, she knew she had lost.

Maybe that was what prompted her to accept Lee in her heart. She always knew that there were certain rules that should be followed. Just not in governing a country or commanding a squad of Anbus on a mission. There were ground rules—rules that told her that she should not step within the boundaries of what were claimed or when someone was obviously _trying _to claim a person. They were just… outright wrong. And she always followed the rules.

It did strike her hard when she grasped the concept. It was Sasuke _and _Naruto. But then, _Sasuke _and _Naruto_ were always said in the same sentence one way or the other. Even when she didn't consider it being said in such manner.

How she greatly missed the company of the loud and brash boy! She always complained, yes, but now it felt that the world was _too _quiet without the blonde. The peace was sometimes too unsettling. And with the village piped down—no shouting, laughter on the streets—it was so, utterly boring.

"—then Chouji almost choked… Sakura? Sakura, you're not listening, are you?" quickly snapping herself of deliberations, she gave Ino an apologetic grin.

"Gomen, I was just thin--" the bag of groceries dropped to the ground, green eyes flickered with inexpressible amounts of shock and no other words formed out of her mouth.

"Sakura?" She was not heard, she knew, she just followed Sakura's gaze and smiled.

Outside her door, different kinds of flowers spread in all directions, covering almost her front porch in the display. "Oh my god… this is… this is…" Sakura couldn't find any words to express what she was feeling. Exhilarated, maybe. Happy, of course.

"You like it Sakura-chan?" a voice said from behind them and Sakura's face lighted up as she recognized it.

"Lee-kun!" she threw her hands around his neck like the lovers they were. "They're wonderful! But why such gesture?" she asked as she dropped onto the ground.

"I just want to say sorry for going back a week late from the mission. I promised you that I won't take long, but I broke it. Gomen!" Lee bowed his head and Sakura laughed.

"Don't be, Lee-kun. I'm not mad," she said and Lee smiled brightly, and then turned to Ino who was grinning behind them.

"Arigato, Ino," he told her and Ino gave him a thumbs up in response.

"What at you two talking about?" asked a curious Sakura, Ino walked to pick up Sakura's groceries and handed them to Lee who took them whole heartedly.

"Lee asked me to drag you away so he can arrange the flowers. Not that it was a problem, though. You were already going out when I saw you," Ino explained and Sakura smiled.

"Good for you then,"

"Yeah,"

The three of them went back inside Sakura's house as she promised to cook both of them dinner.

On her way in, at the corner of her eye, she saw one blonde hair, blue-eyed man walking past the street together with a long-haired guy in black clothes, walking past them. Her eyes narrowed extensively to make sure that she had not been seeing things. There was only one guy that had features like those...

Naruto.

"Sorry guys, but can you just go ahead and make yourself at home for a moment, I… I forgot to buy…leeks!" she excused herself and told Lee that she could go by herself when the boy was about to come with her. She insisted that he stay with Ino to keep her company. Trusting his girlfriend, he conceded.

Running deftly, she avoided the people that stood in her way, jumping to see whether she had followed that man in the right direction. She saw a streak of blonde and decided to pursue. As far as she knows, only three people had blonde hair that was residing in Konoha. One was the Godaime Hokage, the second was Ino and the third…

It did not help when she saw someone beside the said man who was knowingly a lot like Hyuuga Neji. And with the knowledge that the Hyuuga was with Naruto… she couldn't help but think…

No. She should concentrate on going after that man. If he was who Sakura really think he was then...

Then what? What will she do? Smile at him or shout at him? Punch him for suddenly disappearing or hug him for being able to return back safely? What will she do then? Tell him what an idiot he was or simply telling him that she missed him—his company?

Deciding to settle the conflicting matter later on, she pursued the stranger, determined.

The second she arrived on a fork in the road, she peered left and right but saw nothing that resembled the person she was following. Cursing lightly, she jumped for the rooftops and took a bird's eye view.

* * *

Fumbling for the blue shirt he always adorned on his body, he felt that this day was going to be very different. He could not see it, but he could very well feel it. There was something in the air that simply was diverse from the recent days that passed by. Whether it was good or bad, he did not know. He only knew that today was different.

How long has it been? Nine months? A year? Sasuke was not keeping track of how long Naruto left the village—or if he really left the village at all. There was an itching thought at the back of his mind that Naruto was simply within the confines of the village, in a place that was hidden or only a few people knew about.

It was reason enough for Sasuke not to go outside the village walls and become a missing-nin. Why was it then? He did not know, just like how there are many things he did not understand.

Despite that, he continued searching being an active ninja once again, but there was never a day he spent in the village he did not use to look for him.

It was Naruto who found him before. Now, it was his turn to find Naruto.

How ironic things turn out to be.

Never in his entire life of living as an Uchiha did he imagine that there would come a day where he would come searching for something—or someone for that matter—that will not give him intense power. He was an avenger; that he knew. And he shouldn't waste time going on fruitless expeditions that should've been used for training instead. He was supposed to drop everything else and pursue the rightful path of revenge that his brother made for him.

He vowed never to answer when someone came knocking on his door.

And in the past, he was fairly certain that no one, _absolutely _no one would ever come knocking.

So why did it turn out this way? He always prepared himself for worse situations, readied himself for the course of events that he expected or did not expect would happen. He raised himself up to live only to his own expectations. Not his brother's or the Hokage's. Only his own.

And before he knew it, he was straying down the path that lead neither to his goal of vengeance or living up to his beliefs. He was going down to no where and it only led to one conclusion.

He was a failure.

And what struck him most was that he did not mind nor cared at all. It was as if everything he had worked for in the past was nothing compared to what he was doing right at the moment.

He, after all, had a one-track mind.

And sometimes he thinks that having this kind of mind was the reason for his failure.

Nevertheless, he shouldn't have regrets. That's what it has always been. No room for regrets.

It was his day-off, a rare occurrence since the start of the war, but it was the on Godaime's insistence. It seemed like she was beginning to see the effects of Naruto's loss on him. And he cursed her for that. He blamed her, to say the least that she split their team up and put Naruto with Neji. And when he wanted to visit the blonde, she turned down his request. She had a reasonable explanation at first, but it wasn't enough to keep shut him out of Naruto's life or condition. She did not have the right to do that.

And then, Naruto shut him _out_.

And the blonde had every right to do that.

But he couldn't accept it. Not from the Hokage's mouth. Not until he heard it from Naruto himself.

But where was he?

He jumped from the top of a rooftop and quietly fell and landed on the ground. The view from above in no ways changed and he was tired of the same old view he constantly saw whenever he was in patrol. Sasuke calmly decided to just stay on the ground, where normal people usually walked. But he was not normal. Not in any sense. Not especially when he was trying to reach a goal that seemed like an impossible task to do. No, he was different.

And so is Naruto.

Before he noticed it, he was already in the area where Ichiraku's was standing, all in its own proud glory, a few unknown people sitting on the wooden chairs. There was no orange, yellow and blue in sight. Sasuke chuckled darkly. _Of course there wouldn't be. Only one person would wear such loud, obnoxious orange jump suit. Only one. _

And blindly, Sasuke wondered, when had he become so used in seeing such bright colors that tended to hurt his eyesight after settling for dark hues of blue that he came to miss it?

Maybe it was one of the wonders Naruto does.

He left as inaudibly as he came; was leaving no traces of his presence in the air. Walking in the direction of the training grounds, he wandered unobtrusively as his memories slithered into the blankness of his empty mind, filling his inner senses of what used to be the old days he languidly shoved aside, not treasuring each passing moment with the person that turned out to be his most important one. Was he too late? He certainly did not hope so. His body might live but his soul may perish. And in every transient remembrance that faded into the background, he too slowly wilted inside, seemingly crashing to the point of no return.

The candle that kept his soul burning flickered as it was gradually wearing out.

There were three huge logs that stood at the entrance of the training grounds. It was cracked at one side, or peeled at another, proof that someone was always training with them.

And in his haste to control the flooding memoirs of his childhood he wasted, he spotted two people walking in his direction.

One was Neji who was undeniably talking to a person beside him.

Dark eyes narrowed and widened as his eyes trailed to the person at Neji's side. There it was; the one he was searching for all this time. The bright smile, the warm, lingering gaze that his azure eyes smoldered when he gave you his attention, the golden hair that topped it all off… the whole package.

Yet, in his state of mind, he couldn't do anything but to stay put, nailed to the ground as Naruto's blue eyes turned their attention on him, linking it with his own dark ones that unconsciously turned red in his disbelief and the duo kept on walking and walking until those blue eyes left his own and returned to Neji's.

And Naruto bypassed him with not so much as a nod to acknowledge his presence.

**-Continued-

* * *

**

A/N: I just read read the whole story from the first channel until the twelfth channel and I can't believe that _this_ story actually got over a hundred reviews since everything is **so lame. **I'm not joking at all. As I reread it over and over, I can't believe how I made Sasuke so out of character in the third channel or how I made Naruto say all those cheesy lines in the eighth channel and how I made him act all through the entire story. **EVERYTHING IS JUST SO DARN LAME! **And Neji's demeanor is also the same story as Sasuke's. They are so out of character. You people must be so nice to give me _that _much attention over the past month of shameless and utter useless writing.

/sigh/ as you guys noticed, I'm on a major set-back here (and I can't even bare to read the channels I finished again!) And I want you guys to tell me what you liked or _don't _like on the story, and I'll do over the things you **hated**. **Yes, hated**.

And this is not a request, this is an order you can't refuse! So click that 'Go' button for reviews and pour out your soul to me!

…please?


	14. Fourteenth Channel: Vague

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

**Fourteenth Channel: Vague **

"Naruto!" a high-pitched shout from behind them called and both Naruto and Neji's head turned a slow 180 degrees. A young woman was running towards them, her unbound, pink hair being held back from her face by the sudden rush of wind caused by her wild run. She halted when she reached them and bent over her knees and heaved. Naruto smiled.

"Sakura-chan! It's been so long!" came a greeting from Naruto and the pink-haired kunoichi straightened up and took a long, hard glance at the golden-haired boy while the Hyuuga just stood there, watching the whole conversation, then sneaking a glance at the seemingly immobile boy they had just passed not a moment ago.

He had seen the Uchiha flinch.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" Naruto automatically asked as the green eyes of Sakura glared at him. Naruto did not know what was wrong, or if he ever did something wrong for that matter. Sakura only looked at him that way when he did some major catastrophe. "Sakura-chan?" his voice asked softly, and suddenly, Sakura's expressive green eyes softened a multitude, and she walked directly to Naruto and embraced him long and hard, as if afraid to let go.

Here was Naruto, a person she now realized meant a lot to her—almost like a brother she always have to look over. Her expression can't even convey the amount of relief that filled her or the amount of burden that was taken away from her. Her mind was too fogged with surreal but definitely _real_ and _apparent _feelings. There was soft sound of a falling object underneath her but she did not realize. All she can perceive right now is the thought of Naruto finally returning home.

"I can't believe that you left Konoha for so long," she said softly and detached herself from him. She hadn't noticed Sasuke from behind.

"Gomen," Naruto told her with a sheepish grin and immediately buckling down; but before he could fall down, Sakura and Neji caught both his arms. The kunoichi gave a worried look as Neji picked up the crutches from the ground and held it over to Naruto. The blonde youth gave her another smile as he took the crutches away from Neji and leaned on it for support.

Sakura could not help herself but ask. "What happened to you, Naruto? Why are you using _those_?" She thought that Naruto and those horrid crutches did not match. Naruto was a very capable ninja who was strong enough to survive all the dangerous and hard battles he had faced. And there was no reason why he should be confined to use such instruments.

Another smile, as if embarrassed. "Ah… that's a very long story, Sakura-chan," he replied.

"I wouldn't mind listening. I have free time,"

"You have? Then I wouldn't mind explaining. But everything is just so darn long!"

Sakura was tempted to smack the boy for his words, but prevented herself from doing so. It was awkward, the situation they were in, as if she was meeting a new person. "Does the Hokage know that you're back?"

Neji answered for Naruto. "Yes. The Godaime Hokage was informed right after we returned,"

"Then we went to Iruka-sensei. Then here we are!" continued the enthusiastic boy with a smile used to give when he was younger.

And the three of them were still oblivious about the presence of Sasuke.

Rather, Sakura was too preoccupied to notice and considering Naruto's present predicament, he _didn't give a damn._ Neji was enjoying every passing moment that passed by, especially when he sees those pained and anguished look from the Uchiha. He knew that it was wrong to think of it that way, but he it wasn't his fault. It was _his _fault.

_He _deserved everything that is happening to him right now.

"Neji?" the voice he considered as the sweetest music called him and he answered.

"Yes?"

"Are you all right? You seem to be worried over something,"

"No, it's actually the opposite of that. I'm feeling very happy today," he told the blonde and the blonde smiled.

"Me too! I mean, I get to meet everyone again!"

Neji smirked when he noticed another flinch from Sasuke. And to think that Naruto has that much effect on the cold Uchiha, Neji was glad that he was watching every bit of it.

_You feed him with false hopes when you would just discard them away, throw it and treat it as worthless garbage when they are the most important that no amount of money can buy. You are not worthy to even be in the same presence as Naruto's. _Neji thought violently, wanting to leave the most sacred place for Naruto that was now stained with the presence of the younger Uchiha. It was a good thing that Naruto and Sakura already made up their minds to head to her house for something to eat. Neji followed, not permitting to let Naruto out of his sight when the blonde was still in an unstable condition.

And they left the dark-haired shinobi behind.

They were back on the main street before they knew it. Now they were nearing the age of being an adult, it seemed that everything around them was starting to feel smaller, unlike when they younger, all their surroundings felt huge and gigantic. It was as if everything was out of their reach. Now… now it felt like they can get what they want if they willed it.

Sakura's house was a lot nearer than what Naruto had remembered. It was not like he was gone for a long time right? He just needed to recuperate in a peaceful environment—as what Neji told him. And when he awoke that same morning, he had this sudden urge to return to the village and surprisingly enough, the Hyuuga obliged him. Naruto smiled. Neji was so nice to him that way.

The pink-haired kunoichi was feeding him with news about the most recent events that happened to the village while he was gone. It was strange though, that whenever Sakura will bring up this guy—Uchiha Sasuke, was it?—she spoke of him like they've known each other for years, yet he couldn't remember anything about him. Not a single detail, even if he did try to rack up his entire memory.

He didn't want Sakura to worry about it though. Naruto figured that if she was enthusiastic about telling him about this Uchiha, maybe he should just go along with it, though he didn't have even a single vague idea about the guy.

Naruto also noticed that every time the guy's name was mentioned, Neji, who was beside him, would don an irritated look that could wither a flower to die in an instant, theoretically speaking since he hadn't gone to try it out yet. But no, Neji would get mad at him, and he didn't like Neji getting mad. It was… awful.

"Ino and Lee would probably have a heart attack when they see both of you," Sakura told Naruto and he grinned madly before stopping to wait for Sakura to open her front door. As they entered the vicinity, Naruto's nose crunched up as he smelled the strong flavor of curry traveling from the kitchen. He wanted to cringe in dismay but Sakura looked like she loved the smell as she was smiling softly.

"Lee!" the kunoichi called out and disappeared behind the divider. Both Neji and Naruto stayed behind and the blonde opted to sit on the couch as Neji preferred to remain standing, his calm indifference on his face.

Naruto grinned at him. "It's nice to be back, isn't it?" he half-asked, half-stated, in his tone said that he didn't expect Neji to give a reply, but the Hyuuga did anyway, one of those things he does rarely.

"As long as you're happy," Naruto's blue eyes sparkled with mirth as Neji's reply sounded through his mind.

"What are you two doing here? Lee and Ino just finished cooking, even though I told them that I would be the one to cook," green eyes peeked from the divider and gestured them to enter the dining room.

"Who are you talking to, Sakura-chan? You didn't tell us that we'll be having guests today," a soft, low voice asked her and Naruto could almost see those thick brows furrowing in curiosity.

And the said man appeared a second later.

"N-Naruto! And Neji! When did you come back?" _Yep, Lee's definitely shocked. _The blonde thought before replying.

"Just today. Right, Neji?" blue eyes flickered to the man beside him and Neji nodded. Lee raised a brow. "Were the two of you together in this mission?" he asked.

Naruto gave Lee an inquisitive look. _Mission? _He asked. Then it clicked into place. Of course they couldn't just leave without giving the people a reason or else they would be named as missing-nins. The blonde nodded enthusiastically. "Aa, Tsunade-baabaa insisted that Neji be my partner on my missions,"

"Really? We weren't told about that,"

Neji's strong voice, though spoken in a low tone answered for Naruto. "I didn't think Hokage-sama felt the need to tell everyone,"

Lee gave a smile and a thumbs-up. "Well, now that you're here, let's just enjoy the cooking that Ino and I made and feel the joy of youth!"

Naruto chuckled as Neji shrugged and went to the dining room where Ino was now obviously informed about their presence. "How have you been Naruto-kun?" the blond girl asked, his cornflower blue eyes noticing the crutches but ignored it.

"I've been fine,"

Sakura ushered them to take a seat now that everything was ready. A plate of curry and rice was placed before them and they all said their thanks and ate. Neji stared at Naruto as the blonde gave Sakura a smile when she asked him why he wouldn't eat yet. Then, carefully, the blonde shinobi picked up the eating utensils in front of him.

But before he could dig into his food, fast hands snatched the plate away from him and the two girls and Lee stared at Neji. "What the hell are you thinking, Naruto?"

"I think Naruto-kun was just about to eat it, Neji-san," came a reply from his former teammate under Gai-sensei.

Neji glared at Lee and he shut his mouth up in response, not wanting to get injured and tired after he just returned from a mission. Pale eyes glanced their way back to Naruto. "Well?"

"I… was going to eat it," the blonde said sheepishly, admitting his course of action, knowing full well where this conversation was heading.

Neji glared at him yet again and proceeded to stand and head towards the kitchen. "Sakura-san, do you think I can borrow your kitchen for a moment?" he queried and Sakura nodded dumbly, before whispering to Ino. After a few minutes, they could hear some chopping and smell food being cooked. They were all curious as to what the pale Hyuuga could be cooking and they looked at Naruto in question. The blonde boy just shrugged and smiled, now holding the chopsticks that were lying beside the spoon and fork. When Neji emerged from the kitchen, he was holding in his hand a sizzling plate of pork tonkatsu. He stopped by the rice cooker and filled a bowl with rice and placed it in front of Naruto, whose azure eyes shone and mouth watered.

Ino, having misunderstood, snapped at the Hyuuga. "Why didn't you let Naruto eat what we prepared? It's not like its poisoned or something! And it's not even bad!" she was beginning to raised her voice and Sakura tried to calm Ino down.

"I didn't say it was bad," the Hyuuga responded and proceeded to transfer Naruto's full plate of curry into his. "Naruto is allergic to curry. If you feel bad about me taking a caution about his well-being, then I will eat his share as well. If only to make you feel better,"

Lee smiled, both inwardly and outwardly. Neji had changed so much, he realized and he gazed at Naruto who was now telling the two girls to eat again. How did the blonde manage to do it?

All the while, Sakura wondered how Neji could have possibly known about the fact while she did not. And she thought that the Hyuuga did not care about anyone. _What happened between the two of them? _

Ino visibly calmed down and apologized to Neji as she saw him eating daintily a plate of too much curry. The blonde gave a worried look. "You don't like curry all that much too. Neji? Are you sure you could eat that? You said that you don't like eating curry too,"

"I'm fine. It's better than letting you eat a food your body doesn't respond well to, just because you don't like to hurt _their _feelings and waste their hard work,"

Some changes occur too great and fast that it sometimes takes the wind out of you.

"Ne—Neji-san?"

Pale eyes turned to the source of the voice. "Nani?"

Lee clamped his mouth. "Nothing,"

---

"Why were you gone for so long, Naruto?" came the unavoidable question.

"I can't escape from this, right?"

"Right, Naruto-san!" a thumbs up. Naruto shook his head in amusement.

Neji stood behind the chair where naruto was sitting, even though there were more than 2 chairs that were available. Ino noticed how protective Neji was of Naruto, when before he couldn't care less about the blonde. Something happened. She was sure of it. People don't go changing their spots overnight. Or in this case, in nine months. Especially in a mission.

"Naruto?" Sakura asked and was now waiting for whatever explanation the blonde has to offer.

"Well, during our last mission together, I had an accident…"

"You were in the hospital for quite a long time then," Lee interrupted.

Naruto frowned as he recalled. "Uh, right. After that, Tsunade-baabaa took me out of team seven…"

"… I was so shocked when she did, Naruto. She didn't have to do that! It was just a simple mistake!" another interruption from Sakura.

"Uh… anyway, she made Neji my partner and--"

"WHAT? Why would she do that? Your team with Sakura and Sasuke was almost perfect!"

_Sasuke. _

Again, the unfamiliar name was spoken. _Who is he? _

Naruto felt a hand grip his shoulder and he returned his attention to them. A sigh. "Could you please let me finish. How can you know _anything _if you keep interrupting me?"

Lee laughed as Sakura and Ino fell quiet.

"After that, I had another accident," Sakura was about to open her mouth again but closed it as she felt Neji glare at her. "It was a good thing that Konohamaru was there… oh yeah! Neji! We haven't visited Konohamaru yet!" the blonde told the man behind him.

"We'll visit him after this,"

"Un!" Naruto nodded and resumed his story. "Well, the accident caused me something. You see, there was a complication in my body after the last one. The one after left me handicapped,"

Sakura couldn't keep herself quiet any longer as the other two gasped. "Handicapped? Is this why you have _that_?" she pointed accusingly at the two crutches leaning on the wall.

"Yes, but I'm fine now! There's this medicine that helped me recover faster,"

"What did Sasuke say about this? You have visited him by now right?"

_Sasuke. _"Sasuke?"

Sakura sighed loudly. "Yes. Sasuke," she repeated and Naruto felt the grip on his shoulder tighten.

_Sasuke. _Who was he that Naruto has to tell his condition to a person he didn't know. A teammate. Ino had said that He, Sakura and this guy, Sasuke… they were a team. But why couldn't he remember?

_Sasuke. _Why was it that every time he tried to search in his memory the time when he had his first major accident… he would see Sakura and someone… someone…

And then the memory would blacken.

Naruto closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Neji saw the sudden changed and quickly took the crutches from the wall and handed it to Naruto as the blonde stood carefully. "He had enough. Thank you for today. I'm sure Naruto would've said that. But now, we must leave," he told them and they departed, leaving the three behind with more bewildered faces than enlightened ones.

---

The moment that Naruto passed by Sasuke without any word, the dark-haired ninja froze as if the whole world around him turned to ice and there was only white as far as the eyes can see. White and… oblivion. Loneliness, the sounds of crashing and breaking glass and then Sasuke was able to see again, but he did not bother to look behind him, where Naruto was walking side by side with Neji, whose eyes were once only directed at him was now distant and unattainable. Sakura, whom he heard coming after the blonde, was not aware of him. He didn't care. All he wanted was some those eyes to be pointed at him once more and then he…

He can say those words that he threw away in his anger and maybe… just maybe…

It was nightfall now and he was still standing in the middle of the training grounds, in the position he had earlier that day.

Sasuke felt numb.

**-Continued-**

---

A/N: this channel is mainly centered not on Sasuke, as you can see. I know that you have been waiting for Sasuke's reaction, and I did give you guys a taste. /points at the little ending scene above/ Anyway, the next one would probably be a Sasuke-centric channel, so I advise you to look out for it. Updates might take longer than usual, as I am now back to school, having the most tiring days ever and it seems that ffnet can't load properly… I can't use the line break this time… I'm sorry…

**To my reviwers… **

**Asa-chan, bhodi li, Ranni, tins, xXfissshbonesssXx, Sasuke-chan, Jena, Angel of Darkness, LtF, Momochi Zabuza, catc10, Uzamaki Liliana, Silent Victory, BeeBee, MsDbzMedabots, Princess Kitana, sansty-san**


	15. Fifteenth Channel: Ephemeral Breakaway

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

**Fifteenth Channel: Ephemeral Breakaway **

_Breath of everlasting _

Dark eyes watched. Watched in piercing agony as Naruto continued to talk to everyone else but _him. _Watched as those unconcealed happiness was delivered about—leaving _him _out. Watched with sickening anger burning his guts, hostile intentions clawing through his mind, his inner evil. Watched as he could do nothing else but.

Nothing else.

He followed his every move, every action, every word that came out from _his _mouth was taken into his memory, jotted down and saved like some electrical computer that automatically does. He remembered _his _acts, those smiles and to whom it was directed. And those who were at the receiving end of _his _smiles he loathed, reviled, abhorred. It was his consistent action, hatred.

_He _hadn't spoken his name. Not even once and it was _his_ fifth day back in Konoha. _Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?_ The start of a million 'why's' and the start of the endless silence that accompanied no answer. Yes, he didn't know anything, and even a million why's that he kept on throwing himself would not give him any reply.

_Paradise of opulence _

What did it matter? To him, nothing else mattered, only to have those blue eyes staring at him once more. His wealth, his status, his _vengeance_, they were nothing. Nothing.

Nothing.

His mind reeled, his inner self that he sealed before was leaking out, trying to take over. He forgot everything. Threw away the chance to have the most power one could ever desire to return to…

Return…

…to whom?

Perhaps it was only a castle in the sky that he built. Were they spurious? Those words… words preached by _him, _promises _he_ made, promises _he_ promised to keep… return, return, return…

…to whom now that…

His home was…

Gone.

Gone.

Gone.

_You… liar. _

---

Iruka glanced with worried eyes as his former student came walking towards him with those eyes.

Eyes that were not supposed to hold such grief.

"Iruka-sensei," his student started, and he found himself drowning in that endless pool of regret. The emotion magnified as he saw his student's entire semblance. Dejected, crumpled.

Thrashed.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" Iruka put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, wanting to now what was wrong with him or why the Uchiha prodigy suddenly wanted to talk to him. He was not the same. No. Nothing was the same ever since…

Naruto came back.

"Sasuke?" he called out again, still, the dark-haired boy kept the silence stretching for a while longer before he started speaking.

"Is it… Is it possible for someone who always risked his life for you to… forget you... that… easily?" The brush of their shoulders when they would pass each other's way on the streets. The muttered sorry that was said afterwards, a polite apology that was supposedly said only to strangers…

Strangers…

It… hurt.

More than the hurt he felt after his family's massacre.

"I… I don't know," the final reply.

Winter came and swept him absent. Sasuke stood still.

Spring was so far away.

---

_The loom of destruction _

"Fuck you! What the hell did you do to him!" an anger ablaze, razing into new heights. Neji was not fazed, keeping his calm and collected outer appearance as Sasuke's slipped into the infernal abyss. Shattered.

A broken glass awaiting their resurrection.

So where was his savior?

"What are you talking about?"

A punch that was nearly an inch away from the head of the Hyuuga. Cement cracking and getting smashed. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Him!" Sasuke demanded. It was the only thing he could do. The only thing he knew he could do. Demand.

A hand snaked to Neji's neck, squeezing. Sasuke could feel it. His inner evil. A numerous rolling thunder struck. He was losing himself. He could see red.

All because of _him. _

Neji focused his chakra to his fingers, byakugan activated, in a whisper chanted his chakra sealing technique and then began closing off the chakra holes. Sasuke drew back. Neji massaged his neck calmly. "What makes you think I did anything to him? If there is something I want to do to Naruto, I won't do it. Not without his consent,"

Clenched fists.

Grinding teeth.

"Stay away from him, Uchiha. You won't do him any good," a firm command.

Revulsion. Extreme dislike.

Bottled up inside.

_Shameful creations _

---

Sasuke watched intently, not taking his eyes off of Naruto. He knew he was stalking. He knew that he was probably sending off vibes that weren't exactly something you would look forward to. He knew that Naruto could feel him.

So why wasn't he doing anything about it?

A glare. _Notice me. Notice me. Notice me. Notice me. _A mantra. Green eyes suddenly looked at him. A smile was presented as the said person walked towards him.

"Sasuke-kun! There you are! Come on, Naruto and I were just talking," dark-eyes were past Sakura's chatting figure, directly staring at Naruto. The blonde smiled gently and he stiffened.

_Not like that. It's different. Not like that. _

Naruto bowed and greeted Sasuke. "Konnichiwa, Uchiha-san,"

Pink head tilted to the side in confusion. "Uchiha-san? Naruto, whenever did you address Sasuke as 'Uchiha-san'?" the kunoichi asked and Naruto removed his eyes from him.

He was so far.

"Why? Did I address him as something else?" the blonde asked innocently. Sakura was now thoroughly confused.

She touched his forehead and in dismay, found no fever. "You always called him a bastard, Naruto. Don't tell me you've forgotten? Or are you simply joking?"

A joke. It would have been simple if everything was just a joke.

Incredulous eyes returning their gaze to Sasuke who was now immobile. "I did? Gomen!" another bow.

So formal.

Sakura bit her lower lip. "Why are you apologizing? Naruto? Is there something you should tell me?"

Naruto went over his mind and recalled that he did not remember anything about the Uchiha. But he couldn't tell her that. Not when it was obvious she cared a great deal out of him. "No, not that I know of,"

Sasuke gazed at him, his words replaying in his mind. _This is not Naruto. This is not Naruto. This is not Naruto…_

Forgotten.

From _his_…

…memories.

_Float of the wounds _

---

"Stop that! Uchiha Sasuke!" a loud command. It carried the force of authority, one he should obey. Yet, he didn't heed.

A powered chidori on his left arm. He ran blindly towards their opponents. "Stop! We have orders not to kill them!" Again, those orders. They were wasted on him. He wouldn't heed them.

He wouldn't.

His chidori crashed with the missing-nin's body with a nauseating explosion. Blood smeared his face. It wasn't enough. He needed more.

Insanity was his visitor this night.

_Ye portrait of sin _

Three pairs of arms from nowhere suddenly held him back. He struggled, his strength increasing a multitude as his curse seal was now free. He wanted to hurt. He didn't care who it was. He wanted to breakaway.

From this.

He threw another jounin over, a good fifteen meters away. His powerful fist landed on another member of his squad and one by one, they were distancing themselves from him. They were helpless.

The demon was out now.

_Cave of the sinister _

He smirked, his sharingan spinning wildly and he chased after the missing nins who ran away. Why are they even trying? It was useless to run away from him. Not when he could smell them.

Smell their fear.

Could he breakaway?

Will he be able to forget about _him_?

Just his once…

He wanted to be free.

To disregard…

These emotions...

And pretend…

That _he_ was nothing.

Nothing.

---

"What were you thinking Uchiha Sasuke! You just blatantly disobeyed my orders! I told you that you should bring them alive, not in pieces!" Tsunade shouted. She was tired. This was the second time he had received a complaint about Sasuke's behavior. It was not natural.

Tsunade groaned. She did not know what to do anymore. Sasuke's silence was unnerving her, and even if he was silent before… this one, it was deafening.

Black eyes were distant, in a land faraway. He was fighting a losing battle, and he would lose himself. He knew he would. He knew that he needed liberation.

Murky shadows engulfed him and he was trapped. He would shed no tears.

None.

_Kiss of the dimming light _

The hard ground.

Tsunade yelled for Kakashi and in a minute he arrived. An order to get Sasuke to the hospital was said and Kakashi immediately complied. Gingerly, the jounin teacher picked up the Uchiha's lithe body and disappeared. Tsunade called for Shizune before following.

---

A pale-skinned boy jumped from the sixth floor of the hospital building and ran back to his house.

Bitter solitude. Should he be thankful for the peace?

Peace in Konoha, but a raging war within him.

_Pale forthcoming impend _

"Sasuke," a curt tone. Another one of them.

Sasuke did not respond, nor did the trespassing visitor say anything after that. He reached out for the drawer of his bedside table and took out a worn out piece of notebook. Sasuke traced every edge of it, brought it near his heart and embraced it for all its worth, taking the warmth it had and can radiate.

Then, he scowled, his hand closing harder and harder on the inanimate material. The sharingan wielder raised his hand.

The notebook flew and collided with the wall.

Soon, footsteps were heard. Each step was distinctively closing in on him. Sasuke remained in his position. "Give me release," Sasuke's hoarse voice resonated through the bedroom and the moving figure stopped.

"Liberate me," the Konoha nin said once again. "Even just for tonight,"

From the darkness, the person made himself known. Walking towards the spilling light of the moon, his red hair stood out and green eyes stared at Sasuke's lying position. Gaara did not say anything, only moved closer until he was hovering above Sasuke who stared at him, empty.

"He had me trapped in his world," it seemed that the longer he talked, his sentences made only little sense. "Break me away from it,"

Yet, Gaara understood.

_The selfish provoke _

The Sand nin put his gourd down and Sasuke stood up slowly. As green eyes studied Sasuke's black ones, Gaara could see nothing but emptiness. _Is this what he caused you? What I caused you for being the one who made him forget you? _The childhood Gaara wanted to forget, he all at once remembered. The solitude, the pain, the confusion of not knowing anything. The hunger of wanting to love and to be loved back. He wished for that and he knew Sasuke did too.

_But I took it away from you. _

They moved together under the scrutiny of the quiet moon, and their bodies melded together. They could hear nothing as both of them were lost in their own worlds; their thoughts consuming them.

Sasuke knew this was wrong. To be calling the blonde's name when he was not there. When it was Gaara who was with him. When Gaara was cheating himself just to give him what he wanted.

He was selfish.

Yes, he was selfish, and what he wanted, he wouldn't give to anyone.

So why was he here when instead he should be fighting to get Naruto back?

They both reached their release at the same time and Sasuke felt the bottled emotions bursting out of him. He could think clearly now, could see clearly, could act clearly. He faced Gaara, whose face was turned away from him. He had hurt him.

And Gaara let himself be hurt.

Why did it have to come to this?

_Evil's enthralled pain; _

_Thy colorful remorse _

**-Continued-**

A/N: **The words placed within brackets are actually a three stanza poem entitled "Malevolence". It is mainly about the Story of Creation and the Plight of Adam and Eve. The writer is my friend, Zaide. **

Okay, the channel is too short but I liked it. But I can't bear to read it myself again, so please by lenient about the grammatical errors. It's not that I didn't like the channel that I couldn't read it. It was that, there was too much angst in only 1000+ words. It breaks my heart.

I hope that you get the essence and importance of this chapter. Gaara changed a great deal, and so did Sasuke. If you have any questions…. Any at all, just ask them and I will answer on the next chapter. /sigh/ I do hope that I would reach at least 200+ reviews… There are only a few channels left… I won't exceed 20 channels. After this, the story would be fast-paced as we're already nearing the end. So, as early as now, I would like to thank all those who supported this story and hopefully, support my other stories as well.

**To my reviewers: **

**Momochi Zabuza:** I'm sorry if this channel is not that long, but I do hope that you were entertained even for only a short while. A NejiNaru lemon? Sorry, I don't do lemons… not after 'Black Heaven' anyway (it's my one and only HunterXHunter fic that was made for a friend). I can't find myself writing lemons again. It feels… well, just weird, especially when you read what you just wrote. Heh, I'm babbling again. Sorry.

**Strawberries and Napkins:** uhm… I don't really know what to say. I can't understand your reviews… heh. But thanks for reviewing either way.

**Uzamaki Liliana:** I can't figure out whether Naruto would remember Sasuke again or just remain the way he is now. I haven't completely thought of the ending yet… heh…

**Angel winged Meroko:** Thanks for saying that my story isn't lame at all. But, I'm not really saying that this fic sucks… it's just that I've made enough blunders to make me feel embarrassed about this.

**ChiKoiDoji:** hmm… I can't decide whether this would turn out to be a NaruSasu or NejiNaru. You just have to wait and see to know…

**Jena:** Did you see how much Sasuke changed/points at the channel above/

**Sizzle:** You liked the last two channels? Thanks! I hope you'll like this one too…

**Catc10:** Know what? Even in a serious kind of way, I can't seem to see anything funny. Weird… I'll re-read again. Maybe there _is_ something funny, in a serious kind of way. Funny Sasuke? Do you think I should try writing humors?

**Princess Kitana:** Yes, this channel, Sasuke's reaction.

**Mkh2:** Hey, I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to review this story event though you're so tired. I'm really touched.

**Kisu:** Oh! You're back! I was wondering when you'd show up and review again… anyway, I just thought that Neji cooking would be something sweet he would do for Naruto. Glad you liked it.

**Bhodi li:** the people around has no idea of what's going on inside Naruto's head. In this channel, Sakura might have a very confused and jumbled idea… you'll know soon enough!

**Sansty-san:** Can you really taste this story?

**Amethyst Blossom:** I don't write much about Gaara since I don't know how to keep him in-character all of the time. Which is why I only write about him when Sasuke is there or if he is talking to Neji. Do you want him to be out more often?

**MsDbzMedabots: **WHAT! You want Neji out of the picture? Bad... if there's no Neji... then there's no story... /sniff/

Anyway, guys… my reviewers… YOU ALL ROCK!

Review?


	16. Sixteenth Channel: I want to know

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

**Sixteenth Channel: I want to know and Never **

No. This shouldn't be happening.

Neji's panic-stricken face revealed those words as he continued watching Naruto and the Uchiha having the most civil conversation he had ever seen them have. Was this the result of erasing everything from Naruto? The competitiveness that the blonde exuded when he was around the so-called 'avenger' was gone now, and he could see that Naruto's eyes was void of all the feelings of irritation he usually showed the Uchiha before.

Was it possible that when he wiped Naruto's mind clean, he was pushing himself away from him further?

No. What he couldn't succeed in achieving when Naruto was whole he had it now.

So… should he be happy? Even if it was only a percent of Naruto he has right now, he should be glad. Naruto was Naruto, even without the memories, even with the subdued attitude, even without…

Uchiha Sasuke.

There was a risk and he knew about it. Without the hostile attitude that Naruto has with Uchiha, there was nothing that will hinder him anymore. On the other side, he thought that Sasuke would be discourage. But he was proven wrong. Again.

He came back from a mission the Fifth gave him only this day, and he didn't like what was unfolding. Sasuke and Naruto were sitting side by side at Ichiraku's, but Naruto was not eating. Sasuke must've told Naruto something that made him clamp himself up.

Neji decided to go home. _Tonight. I'll ask him tonight. _

---

That night, Sasuke made up his mind.

That night, he set another goal.

He thought over the matter, and it was now clear. Someone must've erased his past, the only reason he could think of plausible. It didn't matter anymore. His existence away from the blonde's past didn't matter. What matters is that he was here right now, and he was going to stay.

And all the things that he regretted not doing, he will fulfill it.

When morn arose and the sunlight woke him up, he was already alone. The rumpled bed sheets the only indication that someone was there with him the night before. Yes, he felt guilty for having the use _him_ in such manner, but it wasn't like he forced _him _to. He was a willing participant, even if when he glanced at those usually impassive eyes, he could see the hurt that he carried, now deeper than what Naruto told him about.

With _him_ that was the only thing he regretted doing.

He regretted taking _him _down with him.

It was not the usual 'if you kill me, I'll make sure you go down with me' action. When they shared that night, everything felt so out of place—he wasn't meant to be there! And although he kept on convincing himself that at least, he was able to give the red-haired Sand-nin what he really wanted, he faltered. And for the first time he sincerely locked with green eyes his own black ones, he immediately knew right then and there that Gaara was being honest. Right from the very start.

If he could give Gaara pity, he would've. But he also knew that Gaara hated being pitied, like what _he_ said to him before, they were alike. Not only in one way.

Now, he was going to see Naruto again, and he wouldn't run away. Wouldn't let his emotions take hold of him again. The anger, it blinded him and it didn't bring him good luck. Not that he needed it. His good luck ran out the moment Naruto stopped remembering him.

And he knew he had to make his own.

He now had a new resolve. And it was to make new memories for the blonde to remember. Something that he was sure he wouldn't have the courage to give up.

After all, if Naruto loved him as much as he told him that fateful night, no matter how many times his memories got forcefully erased, they would still meet and he would still fall in love with Sasuke again, just like how Sasuke is trapped in his own love for him.

_Everything always returns back to destiny._ _Right, Hyuuga Neji? _

"Oi dobe!" he shouted, the blonde he called turned around sharply with a frown.

"I'm not a dobe! Stop calling me that, bastard!" he shouted back, and Sasuke felt that it was just like before. When the blonde came back, everything was stale, but now, it was as if nothing changed. He could feel that Naruto was once again comfortable with him, but not like way back. He could only hope.

"You turned around. It means that you are acknowledging that you are indeed, a dobe,"

The blonde wanted to attack the arrogant boy, he was thankful at least that he didn't need the help of his crutches any longer, but he was still slow and his leg still couldn't keep up. Instead, he just gave Sasuke a death glare that couldn't wither a weed even if he tried.

Naruto sighed when he saw that her glare was not affecting Sasuke. "Why are you here anyway? Don't you have more important things to do than disturb my peace?"

_You were the one always disturbing the peace before, Naruto. _"Whatever, I was just thinking that you might like to have some ramen,"

Naruto's eyes cheered up instantly at the mention of his favorite food. "Sure! Only if you pay though," he added, and cheered once again when Sasuke nodded and said, 'of course'.

Ichiraku's Ramen Stand was again booming when the blonde youth returned and it pleased the owner. "Na na, I want seafood ramen!" Naruto shouted and the owner replied with a 'coming up!'. Naruto slid on the stool and waited happily. Sasuke took the seat beside Naruto and started staring.

Soon, the blonde felt the prickling stare and turned to look at Sasuke with a confused face. "Why are you staring?" he asked, and Sasuke did nothing but blink.

"Don't you…" Sasuke started but trailed off. He wanted to chew his bottom lip because of frustration but he couldn't. "Don't you really remember me?" he croaked out and Naruto had to strain his ears to hear him.

It was a solemn question, and the blonde understood that the black-haired shinobi was fearful of what he would answer. Only he did not understand why. Yes, it was true that no matter how much he tried, they was no Uchiha Sasuke in his memories. But it didn't explain the void in his heart.

"You told me once that I'm the only place you can call home," his hoarse voice was painful to hear, only Naruto didn't understand why.

He never did understand a lot of things after all.

"You told me that you'd always be waiting,"

When he and Sakura talked last time, he had learned that Uchiha Sasuke was once their teammate and friend and were together through most of the trivial experiences in their lives. Sakura said this with a wistful smile that told Naruto that she was sad because of this and he asked. She told him, "Because even though I try to be the most important to Sasuke, I couldn't. It was only you who rivaled the top spot with his anger with his Itachi,"

_Only me. _He remembered that the most. _It's only me that rivaled with the top spot. _His mind reiterated. _Only me. _The ramen was already in front of him, but he made no move to touch it. He only stared at it, as Sasuke took a pair of chopsticks and started without waiting for him.

"I'm sorry," was all he heard Naruto say before he was gone.

"I'm sorry too," he whispered to the wind that carried the sadness his message contained.

---

Naruto ran back to his apartment with all the speed he could muster. It was wrong to run away, he knew. And he didn't like running away. He wasn't the type to run away. He never ran away.

Only now.

'You told me that you'd always be waiting. That I'm the only place you can call home,' 

_Did I really tell him that? Did I make him any promise that I wasn't able to keep? _He also never backed down on his word. _Did I break my promise? _

He slowed down and came to a stop, and then he stared at his hands. _What am I doing?_ Neji. He could always talk to Neji. And Neji was always there when he needed him. _But is he back yet? _When it came down to it all, Neji did everything for him. Even if it hurt him, even if there was a risk, the long-haired Hyuuga would gladly take it for him.

_What. Did. You. Do. To. HIM! _The shouting and the fighting resonated in his mind. He was there when the Uchiha and Hyuuga clashed in that alley one fateful day. He didn't get what they were talking about. He can see how fierce they were with each other and their anger was overflowing.

_What are you talking about? _He heard Neji answer, but it was not true. He could feel that Neji was hiding something. And that something was what Sasuke wanted to know about. Why didn't he tell him?

Would it hurt Sasuke? Hurt Neji? Or hurt me? He found himself asking. He didn't want to hurt anybody. Especially when it was because of him.  
He was in front of the stairs that led him to his second floor apartment, and there was a slight presence of chakra he knew very well outside his door. He quickened his steps.

"Neji,"

---

"If only I could do something for him," whispered Temari to Kankuro as they ate dinner without the presence of Gaara. "He has been there inside his room since he returned. I know that Sasuke is the reason for all of this and that Gaara didn't really give me any motivation to help him, but he's still my brother,"

Kankuro put his chopsticks on the table gently. "We shouldn't meddle in other people's lives, Temari," he told her, but Temari shook her head.

"Gaara is precious to me," she insisted. "I don't want anybody hurting him. It was already tough on him since he was a child. He doesn't need a repeat performance of it,"

Kankuro gave a wistful smile. "And to think you were afraid of him before. Where has all your fear gone to?"

"People change, Kankuro. They change,"

---

Sasuke slammed the door of his bedroom and fell back on his bed. He felt heavy.

Everything weighed a ton.

He lazily removed his shoes and changed his clothes to prepare for bed. It was still early, and the sun was still in the sky. He moved to close the blinds and the darkness fell into the cold room. There was no fan anywhere, but it was chilly inside. Probably because there was no one to warm him up.

The night before, Gaara was warmer than what he expected. Every night there was only the cold in the room that accompanied him to sleep. The sun sets every dusk and leaves him alone, but the cold remains by his side. But the night before, there was warmth. Something that lulled him into a deep sleep. Something he never expected the red-haired nin to have.

When he woke up, the warmth had gone. Maybe because he was the cold and ice that froze up even the warmest of them all.

Will Naruto also leave my cold? He is the sun after all, and the sun always sets during dusk.

---

"Neji,"

The Hyuuga silently placed his hand that poised to turn the doorknob when he heard Naruto call him. "Naruto," he acknowledged.

The blonde was sweating slightly and was panting. Naruto slid by him and opened the door, holding it ajar, an invitation to let Neji enter.

The apartment was dark and chilly. It was only when the blonde turned on the lights that he got to see what was inside. "You're a neat freak after all, and an enthusiastic reader. Why didn't I see that side of you before?" he commented. Although he was always with Naruto when they returned, it was always the blonde staying over at his house and never at his own house. There was so much that he didn't know about Naruto, and it would take an entire lifetime before he could know everything about him.

"Because you didn't ask," was the simple answer the blonde provided him.

Neji followed Naruto's lead and he noticed he was being led to the kitchen. "Then next time, I'll always ask. That's okay right?"

_I wouldn't do it, not without Naruto's consent. _The voice in the blonde's mind replayed. "Un," he answered with a grin and set out to prepare some food. "I know you're hungry, Neji. I can feel it," he added and Neji smiled.

"You really know me well,"

A low chuckle. "No, you're just predictable," he told him with his back turned against him.

_If Neji did erase my memory, he wouldn't do it unless I told him to do so. But why would I let him do that? And besides, I remember everyone. Except Sasuke… _he concentrated on this thoughts as he still prepared the food almost effortlessly just like how Neji taught him to. _Why is it so damn empty? _

"Why is it so damn empty?" they were spoken softly, but clear enough for Neji to hear. He closed his silvery-white eyes and rested his forehead on his palm. _Am I going to lose you again? _

**-Continued-**

A/N: I know this is short, only a good 6 pages, but don't blame me! I've been having a hard time balancing my schedule and it's really tough to force words out. I have writer's block, one of the reasons why this is shorter than usual and probably you can't feel the emotion as much as you did on the last channel. But just spare me okay? My update is later than usual too!

Questions now answered!

**Why is Naruto more subdued than the original Naruto? **

This is true only with Sasuke. Since he couldn't remember Sasuke, anything at all, he had no reason to remain boisterously loud and such. And with the information of him actually being rude to someone he didn't know, it was only natural to apologize. After all, he spent a good year with Neji right?

**Why doesn't Sasuke go to Naruto? **

Sasuke did get to see and talk to Naruto once, but he ran away. In this channel, he had the opportunity to gain back what he'd lost. He can't bear to see Naruto first, because of the wild feeling stirring in him.

**Will Naruto remember Sasuke? **

Ahh… the most asked question of them all! Sorry, I really can't reveal that outline yet. Since I'm not sure myself either. But you'll know soon!

**Why did Naruto think that Sasuke did not care for him? **

It wasn't like he thought Sasuke did not care. It was mostly because he felt guilty that Neji accepted everything Naruto threw at him, even if it hurt. He wanted to try and make Neji smile again, that's why he had his memory erased. To start anew.

**How much more hurting are you gonna put them through? **

Hmm… I don't know exactly. Maybe a few more.

**Does Sasuke even realize what happened to Naruto? That the memory got erased?**

He has a very vague idea about it. Read channel 15, it said 'forgotten from his memories' right? And he confronted Neji about it. He does not know any details, but he has the idea.

**Does Naruto like Sasuke? **

At this point, he's still confused, and the emptiness in his heart is not leaving. However, the fact that he likes Sasuke is still unknown, even to me. There is this whole cloud of confusion and everyone is just drowning in it.

**Am I planning on becoming a writer? **

Unfortunately, no. I'm planning to take up Molecular Biology and Biotechnology after I graduate this year and hopefully start from there. I like writing, but only to pass the time away. But I'm glad that someone will be happy to buy my book if ever I'm going to write one. Don't worry, I'll tell you all if I did.

**How many writers use the bible as a reference to their fics? **

Actually, a lot. I read this incredible story and it was inserted in the fic the Lord's Prayer. (See my profile page, there's an excerpt). If you want to read the rest of it, give your email and I'll mail it to you.

**How was your Sparks Day?**

Actually, I don't know anything about Sparks Day… anyone care to elaborate?

**Alterhybrid, Sociopathlover, xxxfissshbonesssxxx, MsDbzMedabots, tins, Momochi Zabuza, Catc10, Jena, Bloodmistress, Kisu, Kurisuteru-chan, ChiKoiDoji, Naaja, sansty-san, Princess Kitana, Uzamaki Liliana, Naito Kiseki, Amethyst Blossom, ayanoi… you guys totally rock!**

Review?


	17. Seventeenth Channel: Collision

**Title: El Bimbo **

**Author: sky75rk **

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

**Seventeenth Channel: Collision**

Neji lashed his hand out and like a vice, gripped onto the pale, flinging arms of the boy he intended to attack. The other, sensing the danger of the situation, tried to pry away from the death grip of the Hyuuga branch member. He succeeded by using his knee to jar into Neji's stomach when he suddenly pulled Neji forward to him, contradicting Neji's formidable force with more energy exerted. The Hyuuga spit the blood that rose from his mouth unto the ground. When he looked up, the other boy was at a good distance—away from his field of Hakke.

"Your specialty in close-ranged combat won't benefit you here, Hyuuga," said the taunting voice that Neji wanted now to silence more than ever. "You do realize that I am capable of close-ranged _and _long-ranged combat. I am at an advantage,"

Neji straightened and calmed his fuming nerves, gazing at Sasuke with utmost intensity and coldness. Sasuke flinched slightly, finding himself at the receiving end of the gazes of whom he was usually the one giving it. "Just because you see yourself at an advantage doesn't mean that it'll stay that way," his tone was leveled. "You don't know me enough that you can deem yourself the winner when the fight hasn't even started yet. Or are that confident? It doesn't seem that way back with Naruto," finally, he was getting back the composure he thought he lost sometime during the battle.

Sasuke did not answer back, the worst of his suspicions blaring in bold neon colors. He was right all along. Neji did do something to Naruto. _And Naruto consented?_ That he was not sure. But one of many questions was answered. And he was going to make Neji give back what he owed him.

Then everything was a blur. Limbs were flying in all different directions, and both struggled to lead the pace. Reaching into his kunai and shuriken holster, Sasuke threw the last of his weapons, knowing that the Hyuuga would use his Kaiten. _Then I strike. _

This surprised him though, and he in no way thought that Neji would simply deflect it with one of his own. The weapons clattered on the ground, lifeless. Sasuke now stood on top of a tree branch, eyeing the other boy warily.

Neji, still holding the kunai, dropped the weapon unceremoniously on the ground, together with the other weapons that belonged to the Uchiha. He charged then at the said boy and the latter poised into his fighting stance and got ready for the attack that came from Hyuuga. Two fingers tried to weave their way into closing the chakra holes in his body, but Sasuke carefully eluded the attacks and switched from side to side, the edge of those deadly fingers grazing on his skin for a moment. When Neji pulled back, he quickly made several hand seals. "Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu!" he shouted, and the fire dragon made its way viciously towards the Hyuuga who just smirked despite of being in danger. Neji raised his right arm and Sasuke felt something was pulling him from somewhere. He shifted his blood, red, eyes to his body and found chakra surrounding him. He touched the invisible thread-like structures that pulsated with chakra from the other boy. _Chakra threads. Damn. I'm too careless. _Neji took the opportunity to pull Sasuke towards him so he would take the blow of his own jutsu.

Knowing the Hyuuga's plan, he sped up instead, pushing Neji to the dirt covered ground as the fire dragon passed by them. Quickly, as if burned, they pulled away, Neji still raising his right arm and Sasuke still pulling away.

"You do realize that I am at an advantage, don't you?" Neji repeated Sasuke's own words, manipulated it so Sasuke would scorn him more. But he didn't have to. Sasuke now _loathes _him.

Instead of waiting for Neji to pull him, he charged, his arm flaring with his chidori. Neji's eyes widened slightly, then smirked, his Byakugan open and tried to find fault in the technique.

_Found it. _It was just there. Sasuke always kept his right side open for attacks when he used the chidori. His right hand always assisting his left so the pressure would not consume him.

Sasuke poised his chidori so it leveled with Neji's heart, pushed his hand forward to deliver the blow.

"STOP!" both of them heard a scream and their heads turned to see a certain blonde using his body to separate them.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Neji shouted but even he, himself, couldn't hear his words from the loud cry that the chidori was making. He wanted to stop, but it was too late. He can't withdraw from attacking. A glance from Sasuke also showed that he was desperate to stop but to no avail. Naruto looked back at his incredulous, scared eyes—eyes that were wishing that everything else will happen except this—and somehow, while staring back at those azure orbs, he found peace and a smile saying 'I forgive you and I'm sorry'.

---

_"Your assumptions are correct, Naruto," said Tsunade in a worried voice. "Some of your memories were suppressed, but I can't just unveil it. The person who suppressed those memories used a different technique. It was amazing that there even exists a technique that can suppress one's memory of one person. As I know, when memory is cleared, it was all or nothing,"_

_Naruto merely nodded. _

"_What made you learn about this fact?" _

_Tsunade studied Naruto in a manner an older sister would. It was true that she was old enough to become his mother, but she wouldn't dare to say that out loud. Still, she had formed a bond with the younger man that was sure to be as strong as the one with his blood brother. _

"_I… Sasuke. I can't remember him," Naruto confessed and Tsunade just nodded in return. "And it's hard. Everytime I see him, I feel that there's a part of me that was stolen and it makes me guilty,"_

_Of course, the medic-nin could see this coming. _

_She learned about Naruto's history with everyone in the village faster than she can punch Jiraiya when he's being perverted. Her curiosity never came out that strong aside from studying about her profession in the field of medicine. His antics made her laugh, cry and angry. The blonde's experience was broad and it made her feel that both of them are the same. Young as he was, he experienced hurt and tragedy, the anger of resentment and the friendship and loyalty. _

_Besides, she also knew the hurt of losing a loved one. _

_All too much. _

_She frowned. _

"_What do you intend to do?" she asked, somehow fearing what his answer would be. Naruto was the person that was willing to sacrifice everything just to have the past back. The past where everyone was getting along fine and dandy, where everyone always had fun and never cold to each other. Ever since Sasuke's betrayal, all those years were lost and Naruto hated that. _

But can't you see? Everyone would still be happy even if they didn't have the past back. _She waited for his reply, which he was taking an eternity to say. _Are you seriously thinking of giving up everything?

_Their talk was interrupted as Genma came barging inside the office. Tsunade threw him a glare. "What is it now?" under the Hokage's scrutiny, Genma felt like shrinking into an unwanted corner and just stay there. But he can't, he had a duty to do._

_"A large amount of chakra was felt and there was a leakage of huge amounts of killing intent within the area," he reported and Tsunade's expression turned from serious to deadly. _

"_Was it from Sound or Akatsuki?" she directly inquired. _

"_No," was a curt answer and Tsunade waited for the information to be given. _

_When it wasn't, Tsunade clenched her fists. "Well? Who was it from?" her patience was wearing thin. _

_Genma immediately answered. "Hyuuga and Uchiha," _

_Powerful hands slammed on the table. "What are they doing this time?" she hissed, her anger returning ten-fold. _When will these troubles cease? _She rubbed her forehead in an attempt to subside the growing headache she was now having. _

_At that moment, Naruto stood up and silently crossed the room to exit. Tsunade's eyes perked up. "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded, her voice now showing the authority that she had lost when talking to the blonde. _

"_To end all things trivial," _

---

Neji and Sasuke never really cried. Their childhood gave them a reason to stop the tears from flowing.

But when both of them didn't have enough time to stop themselves from crashing into one fragile body they both protected and loved, when they didn't have the power to protect the one they cared for even until death, the pressure was too much. As they simultaneously jammed into Naruto, tears that were contained for so long spilled as the blood did.

And it rained.

Sasuke stared at his blood-stained hands in horror at the sin he had committed and Neji sunk into his knees and cried as the rain found her way to cover up the flowing tears. Why was it that every time they think they were to settle something in their own hands, Naruto was always the one who closed fighting even at the expense of throwing his life away for two selfish individuals who didn't give time to think…

Neji crawled towards Naruto and forgot the pelting rain that changed into a storm too quickly. She cried for Naruto. She cried for them. She cried as she witnessed the tragic moments that broke her heart. She cried until she had nothing to give, and then she ceased, the cold wind comforting her crying soul.

---

Had they stayed as friends with Naruto, then this would've never happened.

For the first time, Tsunade was thankful that the Yondaime chose to seal the demon fox inside the body of her beloved little brother. For the first time, she didn't want to see the people whom she trusted on missions, the cause of her brother's misfortune. For the first time, she _prayed. _

Her hands were folded neatly in front of her, as she leaned over her desk with her honey- golden eyes closed. She was exhausted and it took everything she had to ensure her brother's safety.

_I won't let them take my brother away from me again. _She vowed. When she thought she would lose the blonde boy, her mind went into overdrive. She couldn't bear the thought of losing someone dear to her again.

She rose from her desk and decided to return to the hospital. She was restless until she was by his side, until she was sure that no one could hurt him.

By the time she arrived, the Hyuuga and Uchiha were both at the opposite side of the bed. Everything was white, as a hospital should, and she now couldn't count the number of times Naruto was admitted. Before, she was sure that he'd live even through the worst. But now, she didn't _know. _How could she possibly know? His wounds were healed, yes, but the Naruto she had vowed to protect, together with the protection of the entire village, was gone. The pale color from his usually tanned skin gave her the knowledge of that dreary fact. And she knew she shouldn't blame anyone. But she can't do that.

"What are you two doing here?" she quietly asked, but the two of them knew what was behind that calm air.

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, it is my wish to stay beside Naruto," Neji pleaded using his words and eyes. Tsunade's gaze landed on Sasuke, but the Uchiha was holding Naruto's hand tightly, as if afraid to let go. As if he was chanting the words 'I'm so sorry' to the unconscious boy.

Her gaze hardened. "What was my order?"

She saw Neji's hands now also gripping Naruto's other hand and Sasuke's tightened. "Hokage-sama--"

"What. Was. My. Order." She gritted through clenched teeth.

Neji's head hung low. "To stay away… from Naruto," he answered, his arms limping on his side.

"And I expect you to obey that," her hands were itching to throw the two boys out the room. _Stay away from him! No one hurts my brother and get away with it! _She thought. The two rose, but their eyes never leaving the blonde, even as they went out of the room.

Finally alone, she crossed the remaining distance between Naruto and herself. "That's enough, Naruto. I won't let you suffer any longer…"

**-To be Continued-**

---

A/N: whew… my hectic schedule is done for now. I had time to update. I just finished one of my many college entrance tests and I hope I will pass…

Anyway, Tsunade was a bit overboard on her attitude here, but losing a boyfriend and a brother did have its effects. Naruto was almost like her younger brother; I just made her a bit closer than the original plot. Hope you don't mind…

Anyway, thanks for the reviews on the previous channel. Hope you liked this one as well…

ADC, minna…

Review?


	18. Eighteenth Channel: Inevitable

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk**

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

**Eighteenth Channel: Inevitable**

_"Don't hate me, Naruto. This is because they hurt you…"_

---

The air was crisp and damp. The moon hung surprisingly low and it was magnified, giving the impression that it was nearing earth. It looked like it was interpreting an omen.

There was a gunshot.

Not surprising.

It was the time where the Japanese were invading and conquering the neighboring countries. The soldiers were given the freedom to exploit the new territory and explore the limits of its boundaries. The Japanese, with their bayonets in hand, marched in different directions.

Then the gunshot was heard.

A blonde soldier that looked like an American, their worst enemies, ran out his quarters to inspect about the fired shot. The fact that he was half American caused other people among them to not completely trust him, but his knowledge in the battlefield proved to be a strong asset to the country that he was given the chance to prove his loyalty and here he was, a high ranking official.

There was no peace anywhere, and the blonde has to cope up with the fact that it was their fault. They were destroying the peace, and he didn't want that. Not exactly.

He arrived at the scene and saw that there were few Chinese people that were shot and the women were beaten. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked grimly, the edges of his patience was wearing thing for he was exhausted.

"Showing them who's the boss," said the arrogant reply of one of his soldiers and an obedient dog beside him barked in agreement.

"What was the order I specifically reiterated?" he asked again, his eyes turning ice cold and the soldier shuddered to be the directly gazed upon the eyes of a cold-blooded man. Not that he was not one anyway.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged his mistake. "To not make a move on everyone until you tell us to do so," he said. He was rewarded with a punch in the head that sent him flying across the road. The soldier dusted himself and stood up again, waiting to be dismissed. He knew better than to go against his superior.

"And you deliberately disobeyed. Why?"

"Because they needed to be taught a lesson in respect. They were not cooperating," was the curt reply.

Naruto took a step forward. "Maybe you're the on who doesn't know how to give respect may--"

"Maybe you should stop on your tirade and shut up," Naruto's sentence was cut off. "We are instilling in them fear so they would know their standing now that we're here. If you continue on being kind hearted to our captives, ideas will start coming on in their heads,"

Naruto frowned at the remark. "Sasuke, you know that I would still like to value the lives of these people, just like how we value ours. Life is not to be taken for granted,"

"And they know that of course," was the acid reply. "They know that they should be careful on how they act because they need to value their lives. Now that we are the ones holding it,"

"I want them to trust us. Is that hard to ask? Making them fear you will not make them trust you,"

"Yes, but making them fear us will make them follow what we say,"

They had their heated glares on, trying to convince each other. The dark-haired soldier with the same rank as he smirked when Naruto decided that he should just let this go.

He left.

As well as the soldier that witnessed the argument.

Sasuke smiled in triumph.

---

"_No Naruto, I won't let you suffer any longer. When you are born again, no matter how many times you meet them, they will never be able to touch you, to gain you or to have you."_

---

A cry was heard once again, and this stirred the sleeping blonde and his worn out looking comrade from their sleep. Immediately, purely on instinct, the blonde jumped out of bed and started dressing to go out. The other followed suit.

They arrived at where the captured women were staying, others with their clothes torn and dirt was smudging their faces. Tears streaked down their cheeks as Naruto and Sasuke's soldiers were continued with their cruel method of foreplay with them.

It dawned to him that his soldiers were raping them.

"HAVE YOU NO SHAME?" roared the angered superior. "DO YOU SOLDIERS NOT KNOW ANY MORALS?"

The soldiers froze from their spots and slowly stood up straight to collide with a very angry and very strong Naruto. They proceeded to file into a single line when a voice stopped them.

"Let them have their fun, Naruto. Let them taste the victory,"

A smile full of contempt.

"What are you saying? Will you let other people do that to your own countrymen?" an exasperated but not desperate question was the only thing he was able to state back. He wanted Sasuke to take his side, not to go against it. Can't he see that what they're doing was totally and utterly unfair? Wasn't it enough already that they took all their belongings and possessions for their own? Why can't they just let them live out their lives peacefully?

"Naruto, you do understand that they are not my kin, so I don't give a damn," was the retort. It was heartless.

Just like he was.

_Those gentle smiles and the sweet words of forever… _they were just lies. Lies of what he was because this is the truth. The cold, hard truth.

It was enough for him; he couldn't take the oppression any longer.

He wanted peace, that's why he joined the war. They convinced him that it was only the first step in achieving their lifelong dream.

Only it had been a hoax. It was not the truth after all.

The soldiers were now grinning their sadistic grins and with the other superior's assertion and approval, they started again. The women shouted and struggled.

Naruto turned away.

"Where are you going? You're not going anywhere," it was an order, and he was supposed to comply.

Supposed to.

The intensity in his eyes magnified and the moon seemed to swallow his entire being as he walked away without any words that accompanied his leaving.

But Sasuke knew what would happen. And the moment he realized that he won't be able to stop him rendered him useless.

He was aware that Naruto hated violence, and joined to stop it. But he only propagated it. Sasuke was doing the very thing that Naruto hated.

"_Stay alive okay? We are going to live through this and have a peaceful existence," _he once whispered to him. It was a silent promise.

Sasuke jolted back to reality when bombings broke out. The soldiers halted their activities and in a flurry, they hastened to retaliate.

Sasuke ran to find out if Naruto was safe, but when he saw a battered and burnt pieces of metal that came from what he knew was Naruto's jeep, he was sure.

Nothing will be able to bring him back to him.

---

_"No matter how hard they try, no matter how devoted they are, they will only hurt you, Naruto. So hear me, for this I will cast…"_

---

There was a bloody and torn body outside his house, and for the first time, he had the urge to save it.

Their house was the source of refuge for the Chinese that went into hiding, those who escaped and was scared into coming out in the open. He was aware that the Japanese will soon reach their place, but they will hold their ground.

No one can take what he rightfully owns.

He walked slowly towards the body, and the twitch of his arm indicated that he was still alive. Neji noticed the tattered uniform of a war soldier and the blonde hair made him conclude that the man was an American. He also knew that the Americans were fighting to fend the Japanese off. This led to his decision to help the man.

Neji carried the man and took him inside. There, he asked his cousin to take care of the blonde man and to call him if he ever wakes up. His cousin nods a little, and proceeded to clean the blonde's wounds, and she blushed, when she discovered that she had to remove his clothing to fully do her job.

Neji went straight down the kitchen, where he told one Chinese who was in charge of cooking to boil him some soup. The Chinese smiled and asked him why. Neji said a new one was taken in.

The cook just smiled again and scooped some newly cooked soup and added some more food. Neji told him that the man could not possibly eat solid foods yet in his condition. The cook merely replied that it was for him. Neji thanked him and silently left the area with the food in tow.

When he entered the room, he noticed that the bed was empty and the one occupying it was nowhere to be seen. Silently, his mind went into overdrive, as a number of unpleasant accidents found their way into his head.

He immediately dashed out of the room to send for someone to look for him. Then he turned around and to try and search for him within the vicinity.

He ran with neck-breaking speed and his hair flew behind him. He did not see the person in front of him, staggering slightly.

They collided, both the person Neji did not see and him. Neji skidded backwards while the other person fell down the floor. Neji opened his milky white eyes to see whom he collided with and to his surprise, he saw the person he was looking for in the first place.

"What are you doing here? Don't you know that you shouldn't move yet, not in your condition?" he asked brusquely, straightening up at once and helping the boy onto his feet. When the blonde's knees wavered, Neji propped up his other arm and supported the blonde on the back. They walked silently back to the room to and laid the blonde carefully on the bed.

"What's your name?" Neji asked again, realizing that the blonde hasn't talked at all since he woke up.

The blonde merely looked at him with his blue eyes wandering around the room once in a while, scanning every corner, every surface as if searching for a way out.

But why?

"I'm talking to you, shouldn't you at least give me an answer?"

Those brilliant shades of blue looked his way and suddenly, he can't speak. There was something different, entirely enticing about those eyes that Neji just couldn't explain. Something deep, like you are just falling and falling but you won't reach the bottom until it hit you hard.

"Uzumaki… Naruto," he said slowly, Neji coming out of his trance in that instant and focused his eyes away from those blue ones. His mind absorbed the information given and gave his name in return.

"Hyuuga, Neji. That's my name. What happened to you? How did you end up here?" The questions kept on spilling out of his lips, wanting to know everything that occurred in the blonde's life and how he ended up with him. And he quietly thanked the gods that he did.

Without knowing why.

"I…" Naruto started, faltering. "I… there was an explosion and everything blacked out. I was in my jeep… and…" he was clasping his head now, trying his best to remember what happened prior the explosion. He felt the headache coming in a vicious speed and he fought to quench it.

Neji saw his future predicament and pushed him down to lie on the bed, advising him to rest and telling him that he'll wait until he can think clearly again, when he's not so concussed. Naruto nodded meekly and closed his eyes.

Neji stayed by the bedside all through the night.

---

_"There will be happiness and they'll only find it with you. But they won't have the chance to hold on to it,"_

---

There was another explosion and the ground shook. Plasters of cement from the ceiling came tumbling down and fell onto the blonde's face. His hand annoyingly brushed it away, and Neji helped him. Then in a heartbeat, Naruto was asleep again.

There was a small smile that appeared in Neji's lips. It was funny how the blonde would sleep through almost anything when given a chance. He figured that this guy is probably a soldier that never experienced the beauty of sleep ever since the war started. He cursed the bombings outside, as he thought of the people that was caught in it and the possibility that the blonde would awake as it went off. Then, as he thought of his musings, it sounded foreign and stupid in his mind. It was the first time he ever thought that way.

Naruto, as the blonde told him, curled to the side, his back now facing the wall and his hair framing over his tanned face. His nose tingled and he scrunched it in his sleep and it gave Neji the incentive to brush it away like what he did to the cement that fell a while ago.

He did that.

He knew what was coming. And somehow, in the back of his head, he also knew that he was afraid that this would come. It was too soon, too dangerous for all of them. But he couldn't help it. There was nothing that could prevent it.

It was inevitable.

And it scared him.

---

The tent of the commander was dark and morose, and the soldiers under him thought that he was away. Yet, something told them that he was still there, inside.

"Commander?" a low voice asked as the person peeked inside the tent. It was where the commander slept, with the other one, and the place where they held the meeting whenever the need arises and there was no time left to figure another place out.

Right at the moment, the whole place was a mess, and with the little light the flashlight provided, the said person had to go through a whole lot of mess to search for his missing commander. He had a gut feeling that the commander was watching him, although he can't find where.

"What are you doing here?" an artic voice emerged. Kiba stopped in his tracks.

The soldier scratched the top of his head and made an expression that seemed to him like he was caught doing something illegal. "I… ah, was looking for you," he answered warily, awaiting the impact and the reply, which probably said: 'don't ever come inside without my permission,' with a glare that will wilt him to match that statement.

But seconds passed, and there was none. Only a low question, "Why?"

Kiba breathed a sigh of relief and smacked himself for doing that. The commander hated that action. So of pausing for another while, he just immediately answered the question. "Shikamaru confirmed that Commander Naruto was able to survive the prior explosion. He reports that he saw nothing that resembled a toasted corpse in the remains of the jeep and that he probably was only knocked away by it,"

Sasuke had his eyes closed. "Why didn't he tell me that himself?"

Kiba gulped. "Because… because he said it was too troublesome," there was a hint of amusement in his voice, but he dare not allow his other commander to spot that.

"I… see," Sasuke said slowly. "You may leave now," he dismissed Kiba and Kiba went willingly. Sasuke sat down on the stool beside him and rubbed his forehead. He hadn't told Shikamaru to go investigating.

And when did a military tactician go and investigate a bombing site himself anyway?

Thus, he concluded that Shikamaru knew more than he let on.

And for once, he was thankful for that.

He was regretting it. The words that drove the blonde away, and all of this were caused of his addiction to power. He wanted to say he was sorry, and tell him to go back and finish the war with him. But he was missing.

And on that, he made a decision.

He was going to find him.

---

Seven days have passed by so easily, and Neji found himself visiting and caring for the wounded blonde more often. He left the house duties to his cousin and trusted that matters be taken care by her. Hinata understood and offered that she can help him whenever he needed one.

Naruto was looking outside, the window still closed but the transparent glass allowed him to have a peek. "You're early," he said suddenly and Neji smirked.

"Waiting for me now, it seems," he retorted and found himself staring into those azure orbs he can't get enough of.

A carefully raised brow. "Waiting? Maybe expecting. You always come on time that there was no reason for me to wait."

Neji laughed. "I do, right?" Naruto nodded and motioned Neji to sit at the chair that was situated beside his bed.

"It has been a week and you still haven't told me where you came from. You're American right?" Neji asked again, as he did everyday. Naruto looked away. He couldn't answer.

"What's the matter?" the Hyuuga asked when he noticed that Naruto was clenching his fists too hard.

"I… it's nothing. I just remembered something," Naruto smiled again. It was a sad smile. "You would probably hate me when you know anyway, so I might as well tell you. It's no use evading you like that," the blonde said and Neji straightened. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Naruto…" the pale boy started. "Naruto, I can't ever hate you. You know that," Yes, it has only been seven days, only been a week, and yet, Neji was sure. This _feeling _was concrete and real.

Naruto shook his head. He knew what Neji meant, and he was surprised. It was only a span of seven days. "No. You will hate me," he insisted. "But I can't lie to you any longer,"

Neji listened.

---

_"Because they will foolishly let you go… and turn away,"_

---

He was caught. And the rope tied around him was too tight that he could not get the chance to reach his swiss knife and cut himself loose. He had been so stupid!

The Chinese were talking about him, he was sure. He could see them looking at him every now and then. _Probably thinking of numerous ways to torture me. As if I would let that happen. _He scoffed. He wouldn't let them.

Another man came inside. He had a grim face pasted and his eyes were narrowed. He walked into the light and saw that the man was also Japanese. "What are you doing here? Aren't you Japanese?" he found himself asking.

"Yes, I am. But they are my family," the other pale man told him equally with the same icy voice. "And I kill those who hurt them,"

Sasuke glared back. He was not going down without a fight. "I won't let you," he replied simply.

"And why is that?"

---

Naruto had his face lowered, his wild, blonde hair covering his face and his fist held tightly into a ball. He didn't want Neji to hate him. He did not want to lose someone else!

And yet, he had to go and tell the truth.

It was a stupid move, he knew. But he couldn't help it. His conscience just wouldn't let him keep it all inside.

There was silence, and then they were informed that some Japanese soldier was found lurking about and caught.

Neji immediately stood up and said nothing, followed the Chinese man room. And in his heart, he knew that someone else he cared for would be in deep trouble.

_Sasuke. _Was the first name that came into his mind, and this made him stand up in haste and proceed to where he thought Sasuke was held.

He asked directions, and he was thankful that in the span of one week, he was able to learn basic Chinese. The girl he asked showed him where the longhaired man was and he ran to the site.

The door was closed and there were people standing outside, mostly Chinese. He recognized one girl that was introduced to him as Neji's cousin. "What happened?" he asked, heaving.

The timid girl looked straight ahead with a serious face. "Some…guy in the Japanese army was caught and is being interrogated by Neji-niisan," she answered.

"What did he look like?" the blonde was afraid, and he found himself praying.

"Some brunette guy with short hair. I think he had black eyes and pale skin,"

Naruto froze.

---

"And why is that?"

Sasuke smirked. "Why should I answer you? You're not my superior,"

Neji, at that moment, lost it. He pulled back his arm and hit the Japanese. Sasuke's head was thrown back and held a split lip. "What?" he taunted still. "Is that the best you've got?"

The Hyuuga's anger doubled. He reached out his hand and told the Chinese guard to give him the gun. "I think you should say your prayers now, soldier. Because I won't let you finish what you've come here about," the trigger was so close. And he was serious about pulling it.

The door opened with a loud bang. And a blur of yellow and white rushed in front of him. "Stop, Neji. Please," there was pleading in his part, and he was desperate.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Neji asked. "Stay out of this!" he barked suddenly, and the blonde flinched.

"No," he glanced at the person behind him. "It's been a long time, Uchiha Sasuke,"

The prisoner raised his head at the sound of his name upon his savior. The familiarity of it was something he longed for and looked for. And a single name went out his bruised lip.

"Naruto…"

And at the exact moment, the story that the blonde told Neji was proven to be a fact, and the person that Naruto told him that he loved sat in front of him, immobilized. Then and there, the anger flared again.

He hated people who betray him.

And worse, he hated people who take away what was rightfully his.

There was a gunshot.

And Neji couldn't help anything much less say anything, but say sorry.

And as the lifeless body fell into the ground, another was heard.

It was wrong, yet at the sound of the second shot, he had no regrets.

---

_"When you will be the only person to make them whole,"_

---

**-Cue: Harmonia- **

A/N:

Finally, after a long time, it is done.

I'm really sorry for the delay, as you may notice, this is entirely an AU. The last channel was basically the ending of the entire story, and this is just a follow through on that one. I'm really sorry that Neji seemed to be the bad guy in the story and that Naruto belonged to no one. I know you all voted, and the winners were those who wanted SasuNaru… so, in order to express my apology; wait for the alternate ending that will contain a SasuNaru.

In Gaara's part, I couldn't find a place to put him. After all, he really isn't one of the main characters, and in the ending, he was not included, so I felt no need to include him here. Hey, I love Gaara, but in this fic, he's just a minor character.

The italics are the curse laid upon Neji and Sasuke by Tsunade. You can recognize it via the seventeenth channel.

**Thanks for all those who supported this fic. You guys totally rock, and I hope that you will continue reading the other things I have in store for you guys… **

Review?


	19. Ninteenth Channel: Despite Of

**Title: El Bimbo**

**Author: sky75rk**

A SasuNaru alternate ending.

Standard disclaimers apply.

---

**Nineteenth Channel, Alternate Ending One: Despite of **

"No," an adamant reply, clearly stating that he was disobeying the orders of someone more important and stronger than him, but he didn't care. He couldn't care less. No matter how much trouble he'll be in or how hurt he'll be after this confrontation, he could, and would withstand that. He will not let another mistake be created—not when it includes _him _

Neji stood there, in wide-eyed shock that he soon suppressed. He would've done the same thing, if only the Fifth Hokage hadn't used the voice that promised death to those who defied her instructions. Yet, this _traitor _did it before him. He suppressed his anger. _Does holding back because of fear make him a coward? _

"I, too, will be staying," he declared. No, he will not be surpassed by this traitor. He will not be defeated.

"Neji," started the Hokage. "What is an ANBU's duty?"

He was startled by that question, but he knew the answer by heart. "An ANBU is someone who will obey the Hokage's orders, despite of what he thinks. He will not put his emotions in front and place his loyalty as his first priority,"

"Yes, that's correct. Uchiha, do you know or do you not know about the duty of an ANBU?"

Neji saw the dark-haired boy's clench his fist until it bled. Tsunade didn't flinch. "Yes. Hokage-sama. I do know,"

"Good. Then I expect you to be gone the moment I return." Her voice was deathly cold, and her eyes spoke the same volume. There was a moment of stillness and the quiet was deafening. Sasuke released his anger on his fists as the Hyuuga was debating whether he would follow or not.

In the end, neither of them followed the orders, and both didn't give a damn whether they be ejected of the forces or not.

And they waited.

Tsunade did not come back that day. It seemed like she knew their decision beforehand. And they realized that. They sat at each of Naruto's side of the bed. It was calm and lonely, and the breeze wafted slowly in the air, trying to console both of them.

Sakura entered to check up on the blonde's condition a few hours after Tsunade left and she saw them in the position. At first she didn't quite believe the other medic-nins when they told her that they still haven't moved from their first position.

Right now, she did.

She carefully measured the blonde's IV fluid and left soon after to return holding food and placed them on the side table. "Eat, Neji, Sasuke. Naruto would certainly scold both of you if he wakes up only to hear that the two of you collapse due to starvation," she ordered and walked out of the room.

Sasuke just stared at the door she exited and Neji stood up to take the food. He held one of the plates to Sasuke.

Dark eyes stared at Neji's white ones. They clashed and finally, they conveyed their message. Sasuke took the offered plate and started eating.

"It's strange how only one person can affect our lives," Neji started saying. "His coming was unexpected, and so is this,"

"…I hated him," Sasuke confessed. "I hated him to a point that I wanted to kill him for becoming stronger than I am, for being always right, for shining brightly," he didn't know why he was having this conversation to the second person he really had the intention to kill—for a different purpose of course, but at the moment, he felt it was right to do so. "And now, I hate myself for trying to hurt him again—after hurting him the first time,"

Neji's eyes stayed on the blonde's still form. "It couldn't be helped. I was as selfish as you were. Both of us didn't see that this will happen," he sighed and his demeanor became more melancholy. "I was ready to give him back to you. But the other part of me wanted to have him and it was the strongest feeling I had. I never had what I wanted in my life. It was all laid out by the fate of being a branch member. Just this time, I wanted to have the one person I truly wanted and loved,"

"You're stupid to believe in things such as fate and destiny,"

"I was, and then someone told me that I shouldn't and I listened and I laid for myself a new road. Inevitably it led to _him,_"

"He was someone one just couldn't avoid, nor ignore,"

"He is,"

The conversation ended at that. They had reached an understanding that only the two of them could have, but both were not ready to face the reality that once Naruto wakes up, one would definitely leave forlorn.

---

It was sooner than anybody expected. He was assumed to die from such impact and be buried six feet under afterwards. But he once again proved that he was stronger and unpredictable and no one can ever read him.

It was the morning after the incident and nearly all his injuries were healed. It was one of the greatest quirks of being a demon's vessel and it was the only thing he liked. He started feeling his body by first moving his fingers and then his toes. His blue eyes opened and he recognized that white washed walls of Konoha Hospital.

It was his second home. It was where he was half of his lifetime but that didn't mean that he should be comfortable in here.

The sun filtered through the glass window and he felt two hands enclosed on his arms. He turned his head slowly.

Everything came rushing back.

Everything was now clear.

Everything changed.

He slipped his arms from their grasp and the two were suddenly awakened. He smiled at them with his usual foxy smile and greeted, "Ohayo Sasuke, Neji," he said. "What brings you here?"

Even before he could say something, Neji found Sasuke cradling Naruto in his arms and holding him tightly. Tentatively, Naruto embraced him back, welcoming the feeling of the warm boy near him. Neji could see that this _was _Naruto. The one he thought he could lock away forever. The one he thought would always stay at his side and push all thoughts of the sharingan wielder away.

The blonde buried his face on Sasuke's neck and was murmuring something he couldn't quite understand. It was unfair that he was watching the scene that he discerned would slash him apart; however, he should accept it. It was what he trained and readied himself to even before this happened.

He was about to leave when he was called.

"Neji?" Naruto's voice was usually filled with happiness and delight, from doing his pranks to watching the victim fall for it. From fighting a battle to actually winning it, although instead of hearing that tone in his voice, there was nothing but sympathy and a poignant accent that threatened to make him collapse.

"Neji?" he heard the voice again. This time he stopped.

"Don't Naruto," he was wavering in his spot, and his arms were trembling from suppressed feelings of sadness and anger. He realized that this happened for the first time. It was actually ironic that he shared a lot of his firsts with the blonde boy. His first defeat, his first near death experience, his first smiles, first laughs, first infatuation, first love and finally, first rejection.

"What?"

"Don't. Don't make this harder than it already is for me," was all he said.

And the Hyuuga left, out of the room and out his life.

---

Naruto never wanted this to happen. How was he supposed to cope and fix things when he doesn't know how to mend the broken?

"It was his decision, Naruto. He never wanted you to choose and he knew his place,"

"What are you talking about Sasuke?"

His azure orbs gazed at black ones and found in them peace and a place he always wanted. "This," said Sasuke, replying to the blonde's question. "This is your place. And he knew that," he gave one of the rarest smiles to him and Naruto smiled back. Not his foxy smile or the one he always wears outside. It was reserved and he knew he will only use it on one person.

"I know, but it doesn't help me feel better. But I do thank Neji for that,"

"I too,"

They were now inside Naruto's apartment, Sasuke seeing it himself to check Naruto out of the hospital. The blonde noticed that the room was clean despite of having left a year. "How come everything's clean?" he asked and the stoic boy shrugged.

"Didn't like dirt," it was a simple admission.

Naruto embraced Sasuke under the covers. "I'm home," he whispered and caught the dark-haired boy's lips to seal the vow of unending devotion.

When they finally broke apart, Sasuke replied, within his voice the softness and tenderness he dared not to show anyone aside the blonde beside him.

"Welcome back,"

**-Cue: Harmonia- **

**-Fin: SasuNaru alternate ending-**

**Review?**


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